Mountain Xpress 01.11.23

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

OPERATIONS MANAGER: Able Allen

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

NEWS EDITOR: Daniel Walton

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

STAFF REPORTERS: Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Andy Hall, Justin McGuire, Sara Murphy, Brooke Randle, Jessica Wakeman, Daniel Walton

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Andy Hall

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Lisa Allen, Peter Gregutt, Mary Jean Ronan Herzog, Rob Mikulak

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Barrett, Blake Becker, Morgan Bost, LA Bourgeois, Carmela Caruso, Nikki Gensert, Bill Kopp

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Cindy Kunst

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MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Vicki Catalano, Scott Mermel, Braulio Pescador-Martinez INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES & WEB: Able Allen

Think about unity and future in Pack Square redesign

If Asheville and Buncombe citizens are not aware already, the Pack Square Plaza Visioning project is more or less ending its initial phase this month. The design workshop for Pack Square Plaza is Friday, Jan. 13 [avl.mx/c9m]. The draft vision document follows in the spring.

First, in my opinion, it is no longer necessary for the city land in front of City Hall and the courthouse — and especially not the Pack Square site where the Vance Monument stood — to be named after George Pack any longer. The name I would like to see the people of Asheville and Buncombe consider is Unity Future Park and Unity Future Square. I think a clock tower can go where the Vance Monument is … and the obelisk court challenge needs to conclude as a result of whatever this visioning process leads to.

I came up with the name Unity Future a year ago. Since then, I learned Greenville, S.C., developed its Unity Park and opened it last year [avl.mx/cas]. It’s a big deal for Greenville. The background in the Greenville case is relevant, and the answer to the question of “Why use the word unity?” is apparent. It’s important to go over how the term unity was introduced with the original Vance Monument dedication and then at the rededication just in 2015.

I don’t really care if someone comes up with a better name than Unity Future. Some may insist on honoring a public figure versus using a concept like “unity plus future.” I think renaming this “public commons” area is important at the cognitive level as to what

Asheville and Buncombe are to be about for the rest of the 21st century. Then, ideally at least, the more tangible transformations many are seeking — versus “just more visioning” — may fall in place more readily.

“The Vance Monument had no Confederacy symbols, and the demolition was a pointless waste of taxpayer funds.” That’s a paraphrase synthesizing several local comments on the obelisk demolition and related legal case. There are many things I am not in unison about, and yet I am totally on board with defying such ethics as what that darned obelisk was really about.

Finally, it is deserved to add that, for me, Unity Future is not just the name of a park and a possible clock tower.

I have more details. This is just a quick letter to the editor.

Also, I personally invite CWDs (Citizens with Disabilities) of all ages to also participate in this and other strategy work … and not just as to the continued meager Americans with Disabilities Act assurances from the city of Asheville, as exampled in the Pack Square Plaza Visioning project here: “ADA access needs for the raised lawn on the northeast end of the square.”

That’s not exactly an equity-based outreach headline directed to the many CWDs residing in Asheville and Buncombe County.

Happy New Year!

We owe all citizens opportunity for housing

[ Regarding “Buncombe Lags on Goals for Resident Well-being,” Dec. 14 , Xpress:] Many years ago, I worked in emergency housing in Clearwater, Fla. I saw firsthand the benefits of Section 8 housing. This was not a free ride but oftentimes just the assistance people needed to overcome the sometimes almost impossible hurdles of moving from houseless to housed.

Being housed makes a tremendous difference when looking for employment, creating a stable base for school assignments and the beginnings of being part of a community. These are just a few of the benefits. Whatever the source, I believe we owe all our citizens an opportunity to be housed.

— Bernise A. Lynch Swannanoa

New noise ordinance isn’t protecting residents

The city says it is happy with the noise being enforced based upon loudness being over 72 dBA [A-weighted decibels] daytime and 67 dBA nighttime (62 dBA in the wee hours). Many of us disagree. We as residents in the city are constantly bombarded by noise, and we need an ordinance that lets us enjoy our residences without this excessive noise intrusion.

Sure, Asheville is a noisy town, and some of it is really OK, as I will try to explain.

Factors for a new noise ordinance could be:

— Grant Millin Asheville

Editor’s note : Millin notes that he’s a strategy innovator and longtime Asheville resident.

1. Does it disturb a person of normal sensitivity? (As Greenville, S.C., has — and they also have “sandwich boards” out on sidewalks warning of noise penalties.)

2. What is the duration of the noise? The Buskers Collective (with the city) has a guide at two hours, and that is not being followed.

3. What is the type of noise? Examples being: Is it “repetitive” — is it the same songs over and over; maybe drums, loudly striking buckets and cymbals alone (as in “no music being involved”). Is it disturbing by being loud in amps, which is noise to residents even if under 67 dBA?

Lots of what is noise may not be meeting 67 or 72 dBA (in the present ordinance). Noise right now in our living rooms even at less than 67 dBA really does “disturb.”

Maybe the city should consider having a separate section in the

ordinance focusing on downtown residential, as some buildings with residents receive direct blasting of noise, especially from buskers not following the buskers’ guidelines.

The city might approve exemptions to the noise ordinance: Most people living downtown can accept some activities over 67/72 dBA, as most might not consider them “noise.”

We do not want to stop the opportunities for justified uses in Asheville by saying all over 67 or 72 dBA must stop. Therefore the 67/72 limits are not a good indication of noise (our ordinance), since that limit is frequently violated even now by city permits.

We do want, most of the time, to be able to enjoy some quiet where we live. Even 67 dBA from the street in our residences is more than we should have to endure. In particular, our range vent funnels the noise right into our living area 24 hours a day.

The duration matters, and noisemaking activities matter and could be limited to under two hours (now frequently they intrude even over five hours).

The present noise ordinance does not meet our needs, and we hope to see significant changes. Others at our residential building expressed their concerns to me recently. Just

some examples of noise can be: drums for many hours, preaching/ shouting into microphones, repetition that drives us nuts and also seems to us as “noise”; and the amplification that reverberates around Pack Square, which we do not know how to stop.

The city should consider no amplification and no unmuffled drums (as is in the buskers’ guide), and both would be beneficial additions to the ordinance.

We need a noise ordinance that is not just a dBA level as it is now but includes what actually disturbs residents and includes how long the noise occurs and may even include the type of noise, while still accepting that the city can permit functions it deems important and contribute to the community and tourism.

It really is up to our City Council to also address this activity noise ordinance as well as the vehicle noise problems (responsibility of the Police Department), as well as address the activity noise (this letter) that is now received by those in residences.

The number of residences in town is growing, and the present ordinance is not now protecting our residents from what is truly “noise.”

— Jerry and Diane Hinz Asheville

Morrison: Should I stay or should I go?

While it is true that I am delighted to be back in the vicinity of my spiritual home and have been, for the most part, enjoying seeing the latest incarnation of the community generally, I wonder if I can’t do more to facilitate the changes and challenges that we are all going through. I think it might be an opportunity for us to

make another effort to work together. You and I. Us.

It’s been nearly 20 years since I was last here, and I wish that I had not been away for so long. I also recognize that there are some people who might wish that I had stayed away. That’s not an unexpected reality. Having said that, I do think that I could have composed myself differently back then, but at the same time, it opened up my eyes to a much deeper understanding of the human condition and our particularly odd habits.

Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx. com.

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Now, as of this writing, my 50th birthday is just days away. So the likelihood that anyone, anywhere, is going to be seeing me in any thong is essentially nonexistent. Take a deep breath. Having said that, I think I hold my own for a 50-year-old man. In fact, I placed 11th in a local 5K, which I thought wasn’t bad. Although in fairness, I owe my success to the fact that my training partner is my dog, who needs to be run at least three times a week.

So, as of this moment in time, I am existing in the periphery of the Asheville community. Where I actually live isn’t a huge concern for me personally, as I enjoy living in the country with my two amazing canine companions. Unless of course, should I choose to run for office again, where I live would become important. Which brings up my request of the wider Asheville community. Is there a particular community that might consider having me relocate there, for the mutual benefit that could be made in the future? I don’t want to struggle to find the one that would be the most receptive to a “known

character” such as I have been labeled, among other things.

Of course, running for office is hardly the only tool in the tool bag, as we all know. I have a number of years that I worked in radio and television broadcasting while I was away in California. Maybe I should ask if the people of Asheville want to have an opportunity to hear what I might have to say? After being silent for 20 years, it might be a good have a conversation again.

Currently, I have been busking from one side of the country to another, and thoroughly enjoy singing and playing guitar. You probably don’t recognize me when I play downtown, and you won’t know if I keep moving along, either. We could be like two ships passing in the night, or we could figure out a way of working on solving the problems that exist all around us.

Personally, I have a difficult time with thinking that I could do more “if only” I could plug back into this community in particular. It’s almost as if I can’t fully be me unless I am immersed in the presence of you. I think that’s actually quite empowering. Together, we could do so much more than

we could do without one another. There you have it: An old man’s humble request for your opinion. Should I stay or should I move on? I am looking forward to hearing from you either way. Stay healthy. — Ukiah Morrison Brevard

Editor’s note : A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx. com. For a look back at Xpress ’ 2013 coverage of Morrison that touches on his 1999 Asheville City Council candidacy, see “I Don’t Sport the Thong Anymore” (avl.mx/c7l). A Rolling Stone article featuring Morrison and dubbing Asheville the “New Freak Capital of the U.S.” can be found at avl.mx/c7m.

Abortion funds are too dilute

I am quite hopeful that if I give as an individual to Asheville Planned Parenthood, I can recoup my money in a few years in the form of local school tax savings.

The trouble is that I’m not sure Asheville Planned Parenthood exists as a nonprofit. The related nonprofits are Planned Parenthood

South Atlantic and Carolina Abortion Fund, but Carolina and certainly the South Atlantic are far too dilute (no pun intended) for me to recoup an individual investment in saved local school tax, not being a Cecil, and I have far less to give than to invest due to retirement worries.

The city of Asheville or Buncombe County might be able to recoup the benefits of funding abortions for all of Carolina or the South Atlantic, but I as an individual can’t hope to.

— Alan Ditmore Leicester

Editor’s note : Xpress checked in with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and received this information about the organization’s structure from communications director Molly Rivera: “The Asheville health center is part of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. PPSAT operates 14 health centers across North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and the southwest portion of Virginia. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is an affiliate of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.”  X

Bad news, good news

BY JERRY STERNBERG

Less than 65 years before I was born, teaching a slave to read was punishable by flogging, jail or death in most Southern states. Even after emancipation, little was done to encourage the children of the former slaves to go to school. And despite various more recent efforts to address the achievement gap, the legacy of structural racism continues to be seen in our local schools today.

In the midst of this discouraging picture, however, there is some good news: The African American community, in cooperation with UNC Asheville, has established a charter school, the P.E.A.K. Academy, which is specifically designed and staffed to give poor Black and other minority children a fair shot at a quality education.

Before I say more about this exciting project, however, I think a quick review of local and regional history can help us understand how we got into the current mess and why it’s been so hard to fix it.

For the next five decades, Jim Crow abominations continued, and Black children’s education fell woefully behind the opportunities afforded white children, especially in the South.

Asheville did, at least, have a couple of quality institutions serving Black students. We were fortunate to have the Allen School on College Street. Originally known as the Allen Industrial Training School, this private institution opened in 1887 and initially offered classes for both children and adults. It evolved into a girls boarding school that maintained high academic standards until its closure in 1974.

We also had Stephens-Lee High School, which gave its students an excellent education, thanks to the dedication of its outstanding teachers and the dogged determination of the parents. Even when both schools were operating, however, they were woefully insufficient to meet the Black community’s needs.

ROOTED IN SLAVERY

Although Asheville is generally considered a progressive city today, that wasn’t the case during most of its history. The Civil War ended slavery, but for local Black families, life remained extremely challenging.

Across the South, most Blacks lived in rural areas. The parents worked on farms, and any able-bodied youngsters had to work to help their families survive. Even when schools were available, it was often hard for uneducated parents who were struggling to make ends meet to see the value of education for their children in a racist society dominated by white people.

Reconstruction ended around 1877, and once the federal troops were gone, all sorts of unofficial means were used to keep Black people poor and uneducated.

In 1896, in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled that having separate facilities for Blacks and whites was constitutional as long as they were equal in quality. This disgraceful decision validated segregation, and, of course, the political power structure totally ignored the “equal” part, particularly when it came to public education.

This travesty was recognized by people such as philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, who was president and later chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Co. Booker T. Washington, a former slave who became an influential educator and leader of the Black community, urged Rosenwald to support building schools to serve Black students. Between 1912 and the 1940s, Rosenwald’s program designed and funded thousands of schools throughout the U.S. to provide meaningful education for Black children. North Carolina led all other states with more than 800 such facilities, including one in Madison County’s Long Ridge community.

WEAPONIZING EDUCATION

Meanwhile, this was certainly not a burning issue for the white political leadership. As a matter of fact, they saw educated Blacks both as competition for the largely uneducated rural white population and as potential troublemakers who would be able to stir up the Black population with radical ideas about things like rights, liberty and equality.

As a result, education for Black children, particularly in the South, remained totally subpar for many years until, in 1954, another Supreme Court decision, Brown v.

Board of Education, officially mandated integration.

Undeterred, however, the Southern political power structure did everything it could to discourage compliance, which would force their children to attend school with Black kids. The lethal combination of political opposition and tacitly sanctioned violence did much to destroy the intent of equal education, and to this day, the playing field is anything but level.

Integration was slow to reach Asheville — and ironically, when it finally did, it was what led to Stephens-Lee’s closure in 1965. Black teachers and administrators lost their jobs; some were reassigned, sometimes to nonteaching positions, to avoid having them teach white children. When they quit or retired, their replacements tended to be white.

Fast-forward to today, when we see poor children, especially poor Black children, immersed in a toxic cesspool, frantically swimming against the tide of poverty, racism, hunger, drug abuse, homelessness, parental failure and physical abuse.

By the time they reach the fourth grade, many of these students haven’t been able to pass the end-of-

grade reading and math tests and so are no longer engaged with education. The result, of course, is that too many middle and high school students drop out, and significant numbers perform below grade level.

Statistics show that a high percentage of young people who can’t read end up in our prison system. There’s an urban myth that the prison system keeps track of the number of children who don’t pass their fourth grade end-of-year tests as a way to project the number of prison beds that will be needed later.

A NEW BEGINNING

It’s not as if the community doesn’t know about all this, doesn’t care or hasn’t made various efforts to address the problem. Assorted funders, civic organizations and dedicated volunteers have tried various approaches to unbreaking this egg. But the roots of the problem run very deep, and despite some improvement, those efforts have fallen far short of what’s needed.

Enter the P.E.A.K. Academy, which aims to tackle this issue one child at a time. Understanding the challenges its mostly minority children face on a daily basis, the school recognizes the need to create an environment that is geared to their specific needs. In addition to offering a quality education, the academy provides meals, transportation, uniforms and, most importantly, love and understanding from a staff of unbelievably dedicated teachers bolstered by support from the local community. Together, these measures are designed to give students a foundation that will enable them to reach their full potential both as students and, later, leaders.

Admission is by a lottery system. Launched in 2021, the school, which is off Haywood Road, started out offering kindergarten through second grade. Third grade was added this past fall, and the school hopes to continue adding one grade per year until it’s serving kids in grades K-8.

To see the true story of the P.E.A.K. Academy, visit avl.mx/cb1. It will fill your heart with hope, both for these children’s future and for the possibility of this community’s finally beginning to address our long-standing achievement gap.

For more information, visit www. ashevillepeakacademy.org. Asheville native Jerry Sternberg, a longtime observer of the local scene, can be reached at gospeljerry@aol.com. X

The Gospel According to Jerry

JERRY STERNBERG

“A high percentage of young people who can’t read end up in our prison system.”

Center of attention

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

In January 1962, The Asheville Citizen editorial board took a controversial stance. “We’re convinced it’s time to remove the Zeb Vance monument,” the paper wrote.

The board wasn’t alone in wanting to take the 75-foot-tall obelisk out of Pack Square, where it had stood since 1898. The proposal had originated with the Central Asheville Association, which had first broached the subject in 1958.

But unlike 21st-century debates over the monument — which ultimately led to its removal in May 2021 — the 1962 controversy had nothing to do with Vance’s role as a Confederate officer and slaveholder. It was about parking.

The idea was to convert the public square east of the monument into an off-street parking area with 36 spaces. “Properly beautified, the area could become a show spot,” the Citizen opined. “Properly utilized, it could be a means of easing traffic flow.”

The proposal met with a chilly reception from City Council and went nowhere. But members did agree Pack Square needed some sprucing up. “Shrubbery and a fountain would make the square a real beauty spot,” Councilman William F. Algary said, according to the paper.

If that sentiment seems familiar, it should. For more than six decades, the revitalization of Pack Square has been a recurring concern for elected officials and business leaders trying to draw people

to the heart of the city. Some ideas died quickly; others dramatically transformed the area into what it is today.

As former Citizen-Times editor Bill Moore wrote in 2000: “It seems like only yesterday that we experienced the last redesign of Pack Square. Before that start -

Pack Square revitalization has been a constant for decades

ed, we were told that the new Pack Square would be a design for the ages.”

Although the ultimate fate of the Vance Monument remains uncertain, with the N.C. Supreme Court set to consider a lawsuit by a Confederate reenactment group challenging its removal, Asheville and Buncombe County are once again trying to figure out the future of the square. The “Pack Square Plaza Visioning and Improvements” effort specifically considers the stretch of land between Biltmore Avenue and Market Street.

Officials held several meetings last month seeking public input on the area’s future. A document reflecting that input is set to be published Friday, Jan. 6, and a public design workshop will take place Friday, Jan. 13. A draft vision plan is scheduled for release in the spring. (More information is available at avl.mx/c9m.)

As the community debates what should come next, Xpress takes a

BEFORE THE MALL: 1960S-’70S

Jonathan Austin spent a lot of time around Pack Square as a kid in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Many days after school he would take a bus downtown, where his mother worked. He was supposed to do his homework or read in the old Pack Memorial Library, the building that now houses the Asheville Art Museum.

But what kid wants to sit in a stuffy library after being in school all day?

“So I would go out walking: around the square, down Patton Avenue, just around,” recalls Austin, who now lives in Waynesville. “I would study things. I would observe people

look back at some previous developments in Pack Square’s history.

CENTRAL CHANGES: The state of Pack Square, seen here from ground level looking east toward Court Plaza circa 1950-1960, has been the focus of city officials and business leaders for more than 60 years. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library

and observe the city and observe the monument.”

In those days, before the Asheville Mall opened, Pack Square was a bustling center of city life, Austin says. He remembers staring in the window of Finkelstein’s, a pawn shop then at 7 SW Pack Square, and getting medicine at Barefoot and Tatum Drug Store, 2 N. Pack Square.

“The image I have is mainly of businessmen walking places, people coming uptown to shop or go to the library,” Austin says. “It was just the busiest place in town, it seemed.”

For Austin and many other young people, the crown jewel of the area was the Plaza Theater, a first-run cinema that sat next the library at 2 Biltmore Ave. Just entering the theater, with its thick carpeting and beautiful curtains, was a dramatic experience, he recalls.

Dan Pierce , now a history professor at UNC Asheville, has similarly fond memories of the theater, where he spent many Saturday afternoons in the 1960s. After decades of operating as a single theater, the Plaza was divided to feature two smaller screens in 1969.

“It was packed all the time,” recalls Shannon Hall , whose grandfather, Roy Gibbs , managed the cinema for many years. “Everybody went to the movies.”

VACANT BUILDINGS: 1970-’80S

The Asheville Mall opened on Tunnel Road in phases over 1972 and 1973. As a result, Belk, Ivey’s, Woolworth’s and other downtown stores pulled up stakes and moved to the new shopping center. Pack Square’s days as a vibrant business and shopping district were over for the time being.

By 1978, the Pack Memorial Library had left Pack Square and moved to its current location on Haywood Street. The Plaza Theater held on until 1985, but it was by then a shadow of its former glory as new suburban multiplexes took away customers.

Pierce describes losing the library and theater as one of downtown Asheville’s great tragedies.

“It’s kind of an interesting thing when the dominant feature of your central square, other than the Vance Monument, was Finkelstein’s, a pawn shop,” Pierce says. “That very much represented

Asheville in the ’70s and into the ’80s. Downtown declined so much, and so much of it was boarded up.”

Another business that made headlines in the ’70s and ’80s was G’s Adult Book Store at 5 Pack Square. The shop often found itself under fire as officials tried to halt the sale of pornographic books and films: In 1975, for example, a Superior Court judge ruled that materials subpoenaed from the store were obscene.

“Nobody in their right mind was going downtown in those days because it was not a safe place. And there was nothing there anyway; no stores, not many restaurants,” Pierce says.

Not surprisingly, talk of revitalizing Pack Square was common during those decades.

In 1977, Akzona Inc. announced plans to build a multimillion-dollar corporate headquarters on North Pack Square. Construction of the building, designed by legendary architect I.M. Pei , would demolish several buildings on the square and reroute traffic. New trees and other landscaping additions also were part of the square’s new look.

The Citizen-Times hailed the project as “the most important

SHOW TIME: The Plaza Theater was built on the corner of Biltmore Avenue in 1922, with an art deco exterior added in 1934. By the time of this 1978 photo, the movie house’s days were numbered. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library

event to happen to downtown Asheville in years,” and Pei told the newspaper the six-story building would “make” Pack Square.

But things didn’t turn out that way, at least at first. Akzona was a holding company for the Ashevillebased American Enka Co. and other businesses, and the early 1980s were a brutal time for the textile industry.

Just a year after the building was completed in 1981, Akzona decided to sell it off amid an economic downturn that also led to massive layoffs. It stood vacant for four years.

In 1986, the Biltmore Co., which operates the Biltmore Estate, bought the building to use as its corporate offices. It still serves that purpose today, along with housing the local offices of financial services firm Merrill Lynch.

PACK PLACE: 1980S-’90S

In 1984, as the erstwhile Akzona building stood empty, the Community Arts Council received $20,000 from the N.C. General Assembly to explore possible uses of the vacant Pack Memorial Library building and the crumbling Plaza Theater, then on its last legs.

“Officials hope the library and theater buildings can be used as a public arts and cultural facility,” the Citizen-Times reported. “Among the possible uses are an art museum [and] space for local theater groups.”

The idea of an education, arts and science center in the heart of downtown would soon gather support from cultural groups, business leaders and others. In 1986, a $3 million bond referendum in support of the Pack Place project passed by a nearly 2-to-1 majority.

Officials initially planned to incorporate the theater building, which had stood since 1922, into Pack Place. But a survey showed the old movie house to be structurally unsafe, and it met the wrecking ball in 1988. The old library, on the other hand, was refurbished for use as the Asheville Art Museum, which opened in May 1992.

On July 4, 1992, eight years after the idea first surfaced, the remainder of the $15 million Pack Place project officially opened. Attractions included the Diana Wortham Theatre, Health Adventure children’s science museum and the Colburn Gem and Mineral Museum. The YMI Cultural Center, located just southeast of the square on South Market Street, was also renovated as part of the project.

“You could say that these are diamonds that came out of the rough ... came out of dilapidated buildings and unoccupied spaces,” Mayor Ken Michalove said that day, according to the CitizenTimes . “These magnetic diamonds — Pack Place and YMI — will continue to draw our most important ingredient to downtown, people.”

Michalove proved to be right. In the decades that followed, restaurants and other businesses flocked to the square, and people followed.

By the 1990s and into the 2000s, however, its vibe was decidedly different than it had been in the 1960s.

“Around Vance Monument on any given day, flocks of dreadlocked teenagers, skateboarders and other colorful forms of humanity are on display,” the CitizenTimes reported in 2000, adding that some local business owners and shoppers weren’t happy about their presence.

“There were a lot of hooligans hanging out in the square in the ’90s,” wrote Facebook user Flow Jones , when Xpress asked readers to share their memories of Pack Square. “I was one of them lol.”

Added Korah StGermain : “Back in the 90s when i first moved here, all the hippies touted how pack square was a mystical vortex. It was said an underground channel

of quartz crystal connected vance to other mystical vortexes around the world.”

By the early 21st century, Asheville was being hailed nationally as a model of urban renewal, with delegations from other cities visiting for ideas to breathe life into their own struggling downtowns.

But not everyone was enthusiastic about the changes. Former Citizen-Times editor Moore bemoaned the passing of “old Pack Square” in 2000 as yet another revitalization effort was afoot.

“Then came new Pack Square and away went the parking, away went the old shops and stores, away went the theater and the lunchroom,” he wrote. “Instead we got a snazzy new office building designed by a Chinese architect with a huge reputation. ... The folks designing the new, new Pack Square have not consulted me in the matter. But if they did, my reply would take the shape of a single sentence: ’Bring back Barefoot and Tatum!’”

Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents.  X

FACING THE WRECKING BALL: Several businesses on the north side of Pack Square were demolished in the late 1970s. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library

tap Information about holiday water failures is trickling out

BY SALLY KESTIN AND JOHN BOYLE AN ASHEVILLE WATCHDOG REPORT

Asheville’s water may be restored, but the spigot of information from city officials is still clogged.

Last week, as the public clamored for detail on the holiday outage that left as many as 38,500 customers without water and likely cost businesses millions of dollars in lost revenues, the city held private meetings with City Council members and did not make the staffers closest to the water outage, City Manager Debra Campbell and Water Department Director David Melton , available for interviews.

City staff compiled a timeline of the water outages but did not respond to Asheville Watchdog ’s repeated requests to provide it.

City Council members received their first detailed briefings Jan. 5 in a series of “check-in” meetings with staff — meetings that appear to be specifically arranged to avoid being open to public scrutiny. Check-ins are held with no more than two Council members and the mayor per session — not enough to constitute a quorum, which under state law would then require a public meeting.

The agenda for Thursday’s three check-in sessions included a “timeline of events” of the water outage. Campbell and Melton were on hand to provide information and answer questions.

“This isn’t a public meeting,” city spokeswoman Kim Miller told Asheville Watchdog. “No checkin meeting contains a quorum of Council members, and we do

not provide third-party access to the meetings.”

City Attorney Brad Branham said check-ins, which have been going on for at least four years, are legal and give Council members an opportunity to ask questions, speak freely and “ensure that they are updated on any kind of critical matters going on.”

“There’s never a vote taken; there’s never an action decided,” Branham said. “They’re authorized to gather in small groups and talk.”

“KEEPING PUBLIC IN THE DARK”

Hugh Stevens , general counsel emeritus of the N.C. Press Association, said the meetings appeared designed to circumvent the open meetings law.

“It’s certainly a shabby, and in my view, completely underhanded process that has the purpose of keeping the public in the dark and allowing these folks to have discussions among themselves outside of public view,” Stevens said. “What the meetings law says is that every official meeting of a public body shall be open to the public and any person is entitled to attend.”

Council members Kim Roney and Sage Turner told Asheville Watchdog that for a crisis as big as the water outage, the city needs to be completely open and transparent.

“I believe we need to be having this level of conversation in public,” Roney said.

“The check-ins in general are helpful in many ways across other items,” Turner said. “The severity of this issue likely warranted an emergency meeting or a special meeting of Council … with Council present, media present and residents present, if they wanted.”

TIMELINE NOT FORTHCOMING

The city began issuing public water conservation advisories on Dec. 26, after the Mills River water plant failed the morning of Christmas Eve. Mayor Esther Manheimer said she was not alerted that the system was failing until Dec. 26.

But the city did not hold its first press conference until Dec. 28. Subsequent press conferences were held Dec. 30, Dec. 31 and Jan. 3. Water was not restored in all areas until Jan. 4.

Asheville has a city manager form of government, meaning Campbell oversees nearly all hiring, operations and budgets. But the city’s elected mayor became the de facto public information officer during the crisis.

A lawyer by profession, Manheimer made no criticism of Campbell in a Jan. 4 interview in City Hall, although she did allow that the city failed in some aspects of its response to the outage, including communications.

“I felt like it was important to speak directly to the community,” Manheimer said when asked if Campbell should have been front and center. “I mean, I feel like the elected officials and probably the mayor, most of all, are the ones the community will hold accountable for something like this. And that’s who they expect to speak with them.”

Manheimer noted Campbell had been at the press conferences. The mayor also said the city has a detailed chronology of the series of events that cascaded into most of the south end of the city’s water service area being without water.

“Our water staff has been keeping, they’ve been documenting every decision they’re making –everything they’ve done since the moment that started,” Manheimer said, after a Jan. 3 press conference.

Branham, the city attorney, said Friday that the city had two documents that could be considered timelines; one he called “pretty highly technical” that included abbreviated locations. “No one would understand it if they weren’t working in the city of Asheville’s Water Department,” he said.

The document, he said, “contains a lot of information that’s actually restricted from public access because it deals with public infrastructure.”

“Somebody else was putting together a timeline for the purpose of communication, but it didn’t also include the water stuff,” he said. Branham said the two documents

UPDATES: Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, at podium, talks at a Jan. 3 press conference about the city’s water outage, which lasted more than a week. The mayor is flanked, from left, by Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore and Council members Sheneika Smith and Antanette Mosley. Watchdog photo by John Boyle

were being merged and were to be made public Jan. 9.

Asked to provide the documentation the city had as of Jan. 6, Branham said he did not “have it in hand” and that it resided with the city manager’s office. Campbell did not respond to email requests for the timelines over two days.

HARDSHIPS FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES

The full impact of the water outages has yet to be tallied. Council member Turner said the city heard from one South Asheville mother of three, who had the flu along with her children: “She said, ‘I have no water to bathe them to bring down temperatures,’” and her pediatrician’s office was closed due to lack of water.

Turner said apartment complexes lost heat because their heating systems ran on water. One 74-year-old woman told the city she had been without heat for three days and “all she had was a heating pad to keep her warm,” Turner said.

One business lost an estimated $50,000.

Eric Scheffer , who owns and operates two Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian restaurants and Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, said Vinnie’s in South Asheville was closed for five days. The north location lost one day, Dec. 23, when the water went brown.

“The financial hit is, it’s quite extensive,” Scheffer said. “It’s well over $50,000.”

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is the busiest of the year, Scheffer said, noting that he worries more about his restaurant staff than himself. He has a “robust” loss-ofbusiness insurance policy that will help but won’t cover lost income for servers and other workers.

“You know, it’s a tough time [to be closed]. You’re hoping to rake in the cash,” Scheffer said. “That’s usually a time that servers that are smart are putting money away, and a lot of them now are in pretty serious trouble trying to make rent. … These people live paycheck to paycheck, a lot of them.”

A server working that week could have made $1,500 to $1,800, Scheffer said.

An Asheville resident since 1995, Scheffer feels infrastructure in general has been ignored while the city prioritizes other initiatives.

“There’s always been a lack of vision when it comes to the growth that was coming,” Scheffer said. “We knew we were building a town that was going to be based around tourism, hotels, restaurants. And

FREEZE: Asheville Water Department Director David Melton, at podium, addresses reporters at the Jan. 3 press conference. Melton has said the bitter freeze around Christmas was the main cause of the water crisis. Also featured, from left, are Mayor Esther Manheimer, Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore, Council members Sheneika Smith and Antanette Mosley, and City Manager Debra Campbell. Watchdog photo by John Boyle

there was very, very little done to put money in [infrastructure]. It’s sad. It’s very, very sad.”

WHAT HAPPENED?

Melton and Manheimer have provided some details of the water system failure at press conferences, and in Manheimer’s case, in individual interviews. But many questions remain.

Everyone agrees on this: The Asheville area saw a wicked winter freeze in the days leading up to Christmas and right after, and that led to numerous water line breaks, including “11 or 12” larger city lines, Melton has said.

According to the National Weather Service, Asheville Regional Airport, the city’s official weather station, saw average daily temperatures of 17-28 degrees below normal in the days preceding the outages:

• Dec. 23: The low temperature was 2 degrees Fahrenheit, and the high was 41.

• Dec. 24: The low was zero, the high 24.

• Dec. 25: The low was 12, the high 31.

• Dec. 26: The low was 12, the high was 34.

The bone-chilling front receded by Dec. 27. The low that day was 24 and the high 45, just 5 degrees below normal.

Manheimer and Melton have described the freeze and the simultaneous demand on water service as “unprecedented.” That’s not the case.

John Bates, a meteorologist who retired in 2018 from the federal

government’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, said he analyzed hourly weather data from Asheville Regional Airport.

“There have been about seven, eight cold waves of equal or colder

temperatures in the last 50 years of record,” Bates said. “The coldest being around Jan. 21, 1985, when the low reached minus 16 Fahrenheit. Cold waves are not rare.”

Bates also pointed to a Federal Emergency Management Agency “cold wave index that appears to indicate that we are in a relatively high/moderate risk for cold waves,” Bates said.

FEMA defines a cold wave as “a rapid fall in temperature within 24 hours and extreme low temperatures for an extended period.” These are dependent on the location. For instance, Florida is included in the map.

“I think the FEMA risk index is something the city should be paying attention to, more than my quick and dirty look,” Bates said.

THREE SOURCES OF CITY WATER

At the height of the freeze, the Asheville water system was seeing unusually high demand, city officials said, putting out 28 million gallons

BITTER

a day, up from an average of 22 million gallons.

The city serves water customers from three sources: the North Fork Reservoir and treatment plant in the Black Mountain area, the Bee Tree Reservoir and plant near Swannanoa, and a water intake and treatment plant on the Mills River.

North Fork, with a capacity of 31 million gallons per day, is the workhorse, providing most of the water for the system, according to the city’s annual water quality report. Bee Tree’s capacity is 5 million gallons a day, and Mills River, 7 million. After treatment, water travels through 1,702 miles of water lines and is stored in 35 reservoirs, according to the annual report. Each day, the system delivers water to over 156,000 people in Asheville, Buncombe County and Henderson County.

SACRIFICING THE SOUTH?

The Christmas outage stemmed from a combination of extremely high demand over the holiday, a severe freeze that caused cityowned and private lines to burst, and the freeze-up of the Mills River plant’s intake system, Manheimer and Melton have said.

Manheimer, who started attending emergency water meetings Dec. 27, said her first notification that something was wrong came in the afternoon of Dec. 26. With all three facilities in operation, the city had been pumping out 28 million gallons a day over the holidays.

Water operators suspected leaks were occurring. The Mills River plant went offline, came back on, then went off again, Manheimer said.

“At some point, the decision was made to tie off the North Fork (facility) from the south, because once

Mills River came back online, if you didn’t tie it off, the whole system would have to go under a (boil water) advisory,” Manheimer said. “So, the decision to tie off the South was to basically preserve the rest of the city, so the rest of the city with the hospital system, everything, would not have to go under a boil water advisory. The thinking there, as I understand it, was, ‘OK, we’re going to experience a loss in the south.’”

Manheimer said she doesn’t know exactly when the decision was made to “tie off” the south from the water coming from the North Fork. She said water officials believed the cutoff in water to southern customers would be temporary, though.

Alerts started going out Dec. 26 about water conservation because, Manheimer said, “they knew at that point they weren’t going to have enough pressure in the system to sustain continuous water coverage.”

Melton has said repeatedly that the age of the water system was not a factor in the breakdown.

“This was all weather-related,” he said at the city’s Dec. 30 late afternoon press conference.

Turner, the council member, said the city lost, “I think it was 29 large pipes that were over 6 inches. And that’s a large amount of water loss.”

She said pipes freezing below ground were out of the city’s control. “But within our control were items like making sure that the external equipment down at the Mills River had some kind of warmth around it. It’s not encased, I understand, there’s some kind of mechanism outside experiencing cold temperatures and allowing it to freeze.”

NO PROBLEMS AT NEARBY WATER PLANT

Manheimer acknowledged the city is getting a lot of criticism about

its handling of the event, and not paying enough attention — or funding — to the city’s water system. But she pointed out the water department is self-funding through its billing and has allocated $10 million a year in recent years for infrastructure improvements.

“I’m guessing that you may be able to get 10 people in a room and have a disagreement about that. You know, 10 different opinions,” Manheimer said.

Asheville resident Mike Rains is one of those with strong opinions about the city’s handling of the crisis. A retired engineer who worked for Duke Energy at a nuclear power plant, Rains lives on a street in North Asheville that has had recurring water line breaks.

Before the current crisis, Rains had a sit-down with Melton, receiving an overview of the system, and he has observed water work crews in action. In his career, he said, Duke Energy had to take a new approach to quality control and maintenance at its nuclear facility, and he believes the city’s Water Department needs a similar reassessment. Because of the changes in elevation that result in greatly increased pressures, Asheville’s system is much more complex than “flatland” systems, he said.

Rains said he finds many analogies between the nuclear plant he worked in and the city’s complex system. He said he hopes to be appointed to a committee Asheville City Council plans to create at its Jan. 10 meeting to review the water system failure and report back with a detailed analysis and recommendations.

Citing previous breaks in city lines that resulted in outages, as well as mistakes made at the Mills River plant that resulted in a $1.6 million repair in 2021, Rains said the city has been late in adopting a “rootcause analysis” of its water woes.

In this event, Rains said, he suspects instrumentation froze up “because it wasn’t properly maintained.” Duke experienced similar freezes with instruments and water lines, he said.

While Rains conceded the cold likely was the main driver of the outage, he said he believes the Water Department needs a cultural overhaul, with an emphasis on better quality control and attention to detail to prevent spiraling mishaps.

“The reality is, you have to bring your organization up to a level where [mishaps] don’t happen,” Rains said.

Rains noted that the city of Hendersonville’s water system did

not fail during the cold snap. Its water intake and treatment plant is within a mile of Asheville’s Mills River facility.

City of Hendersonville spokesperson Allison Justus checked with the city’s utilities director, noting that the two systems are “vastly different regarding infrastructure, facilities, processes, and the geography and elevations served.”

The Hendersonville plant serves 31,000 connections across Henderson County, typically treating 6.8 million to 7.2 million gallons of water a day for use by customers. On Christmas Eve, the plant treated 7.3 million gallons, and on Christmas Day 8.1 million.

Hendersonville had a line break along Asheville Highway (U.S. 25) affecting 80 customers but “no major issues over the holidays,” Justus said.

“Before predicted weather events, treatment plant staff checks to make sure generators and heating units are functioning properly,” Justus said. “Some precautions to prevent freezing are built into the plant, such as above-ground piping being wrapped and having heat tape.”

COMMUNICATE ‘EARLY AND OFTEN’

Asheville City Council member Maggie Ullman said the city needs more answers about how its three treatment plants “work together and how that works for distributing water.”

“We have dealt with situations multiple times in the past where Mills River was offline and North Fork and Bee Tree were able to handle producing and distributing water to the whole system,” Ullman said.

“We should be prepared to serve substantial increases in demand.”

Ullman said the city needs to improve its communication with the public when outages occur.

“In times of emergency, the golden rule is early and often,” she said. “I think that folks in the face of not having water wanted to hear updates more frequently.”

Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and surrounding communities. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. Email skestin@avlwatchdog.org. John Boyle has been covering Western North Carolina since the 20th century. You can reach him at (828) 337-0941 or via email at jboyle@ avlwatchdog.org.

Conserving Carolina to expand Bracken Mountain Preserve

Hendersonville-based Conserving Carolina ended 2022 with good news for lovers of the outdoors: On Dec. 30, the nonprofit completed the purchase of 34 acres in Brevard to expand the Bracken Mountain Preserve. The new land will bolster the existing 395-acre park, owned by the city of Brevard, which connects to Pisgah National Forest.

A Conserving Carolina press release announcing the acquisition notes that the current entrance trail to the preserve is particularly steep, which can discourage some users from exploring the area. The expansion will host up to 3 new miles of more moderate trails and provide easier access to the existing trail network.

“This is part of the city’s vision of expanding Bracken Preserve and adding trails that are suitable for beginning and intermediate-level riders,” said Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof . “We are extremely grateful for the partnership with Conserving Carolina, which led the fundraising efforts, and for the enthusiastic and dedicated efforts of community leaders like Howie Granat , Ryan Olson and others who stepped up and organized successful fundraising events like Brackenfest.”

Private donors, including noted Salisbury philanthropists Fred and Alice Stanback , contributed $159,000 toward the $320,000 purchase of the property, while the city of Brevard contributed $70,000. Conserving Carolina covered the remaining cost through an internal loan but will continue to seek grants and donations for the project.

Good to know

• The West Asheville Garden Stroll has opened applications for its 2023 Seed Money grants. The volunteer-led group will provide funding of up to $1,000 for community-oriented landscaping projects that beautify West Asheville’s public spaces. Applications must be submitted by Saturday, Feb. 18; more information is available at avl.mx/caq.

• The Haywood County Public Library encourages residents to take advantage of the Seed Library of Waynesville, which opens this year on Monday, Feb.

27. Anyone with a library card can receive 10 free packets of open-pollinated vegetable and herb seeds. More information is available at avl.mx/ca9.

• Cultivate Climbing, an indoor climbing gym in Asheville, has launched two meetups meant to welcome people who haven’t traditionally participated in the sport. Climbers who are Black, Indigenous and people of color are encouraged to attend the N.C. BIPOC Climbers event on the second Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. The Southeastern Queer Climbers meetup takes place every third Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. More information is available at CultivateClimbing.com.

• Old Fort manufacturer Kitsbow Cycling Apparel has launched a new online storefront, Kitsbow Experienced Apparel, that allows customers to list and sell used gear. David Billstrom , Kitsbow’s founder and CEO, says the move supports the company’s sustainability goals by reducing waste. More information is available at avl.mx/can.

Community kudos

• Butter Gap, a multiuse trail in Pisgah National Forest, is getting substantial upgrades under the leadership of Pisgah Area SORBA. Because the U.S. Forest Service has designated the current path as unsustainable

due to heavy use and erosion, the nonprofit will build over 5 miles of new trail alignment and improve 2 miles of existing trail. Construction is set to begin this spring and is estimated to cost from $275,000 to $350,000, with funding provided by the state of North Carolina, the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority and other backers.

• Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk has become the country’s first BearWise-certified college campus. The honor recognizes the college’s work to reduce humanbear interactions and eliminate bear attractants such as unsecured garbage. More information about the BearWise program is available at BearWise.org.

Raise your voice

• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission seeks public input on proposed changes to hunting, fishing and game land activities for 2023-24. The closest in-person session takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at McDowell Tech in Marion; a virtual session will also be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, and comments will be accepted via phone or email through the end of the month. More information is available at avl.mx/8rp.

• Buncombe County is presenting its draft Comprehensive Plan 2043 for feedback at events throughout the county through Friday, Feb. 10. The document

HAPPY TRAILS: Bikers participate in the Brackenfest fundraiser, which helped support Conserving Carolina’s land purchase to expand the Bracken Mountain Preserve. Photo by Tricia Davis, courtesy of Conserving Carolina

will help set the county’s agenda on matters of land use, conservation, recreation and other crucial topics for the next 20 years. More information is available at avl.mx/cap.

Save the date

• The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s annual Business of Farming Conference returns to the A-B Tech Conference Center on Saturday, Feb. 11. Seven new workshops will be on offer at the all-day event, including sessions on land access, retirement planning and climate resilience. Early-bird registration is available for $75 through Sunday, Jan. 15, at avl.mx/c7w.

• Asheville GreenWorks hosts The Great Buzz Gathering via Zoom from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. Participants in the event, part of Asheville’s Bee City USA initiative, will share the pollinator projects they completed last year and make plans for 2023. More

information and registration are available at avl.mx/cao.

• Conserving Carolina is bringing author Doug Tallamy to Columbus as part of its Gardening for Life event at Polk County High School on Saturday, March 4. Tallamy’s books, which include the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope , emphasize the vital role home-scale landscapes can play in supporting wildlife. Free registration and more information are available at avl.mx/ca8.

• Barnardsville nonprofit Soul Gardens has launched applications for its 2023 immersion program, which begins Tuesday, March 28. Participants will meet weekly to learn ritual gardening, holistic living and community skills from instructors Maayan Chelsea and Scotty Karas ; the program also includes gardening service trips to Cherokee in partnership with the Indigenous community. More information and registration are available at avl.mx/cam.

SPROUT TO IT: The West Asheville Garden Stroll is providing grants of up to $1,000 for community-oriented landscaping projects in West Asheville, such as this planting on the Hominy Creek Greenway funded last year. Photo courtesy of WAGS

Zack, Kilgore talk police recruitment at CIBO

As the Asheville Police Department works to fill dozens of vacancies among its patrol officers, Chief David Zack is casting a wide net. At a Jan. 6 meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners at UNC Asheville, he said the department’s recruiting efforts had gotten a substantial response from Charlotte, Atlanta and Nashville, Tenn. — and even garnered a call from a potential hire in Hungary.

Such far-flung outreach is needed, Zack told the Asheville-based trade group, due to the APD’s ongoing workforce challenges. He said the force deploys about 146 officers on a daily basis, down roughly 40% from its authorized strength of 238. And because new recruits require 14 months of onboarding and training before they can patrol the streets alone, that shortage isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

Zack focused on the APD’s partnership with Arizona-based Epic Recruiting, with which the city signed a $225,000 contract in December. He said a new recruiting website went online Sept. 2, with a digital ad campaign on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube going live Sept. 19.

“Recruitment is far different than it was when I got on the job. Back when I started 36 years ago, we advertised SWAT teams and adrenaline and car chases,” Zack said. “What we’re seeing, especially with younger people, is they want to be more attracted to the area. … You’ll see that we’re advertising the scenery, the waterfalls, the outdoor activity and what more the city has to offer beyond just policing the community.”

Speaking with Xpress after the meeting, Zack said he had received Epic’s initial report on Jan. 4 and it was too early to say how many new recruits had resulted from the campaign. But he emphasized that, because the department no longer has its own dedicated recruitment staff, the consultant’s work was critical.

Zack noted that Asheville’s attrition rate for police had been higher than average even before he became chief in February 2020. Since 2005, he said, the city has hired 507 officers while losing 367; he added that the APD was currently among the country’s top

three police forces for attrition per capita.

Sandra Kilgore , who was recently sworn in as Asheville’s vice mayor, also spoke to CIBO regarding City Council’s work to boost public safety. She pointed to the APD pay increases Council authorized in 2021, as well as more recent incentives for current and prospective employees.

Officers with advanced law enforcement certification, for example, now receive an ongoing 5% salary supplement, up from a 5% lump sum paid at recruitment. Current APD members can get a $1,000 referral bonus for each new hire they recommend; those incoming officers receive a $3,500 hiring bonus if they’re fresh trainees and $5,000 if they come from another police department.

Kilgore said the city should work to support the police culturally as well. “On Dec. 16, I had the honor of swearing in 11 police cadets. And I can’t tell you what that meant to me, to watch these young cadets, eager with their families to start on this new career,” she recalled. “We need to do everything we can to make sure that they feel that they are welcomed to this family and that we’re here for them.”

While the city works to put more boots on the ground, Kilgore added, it will move to put more eyes in the sky. She said Asheville is preparing to sign an interlocal agreement with Buncombe County for “an integrated network of security cameras to deter criminal activity and to enhance response in key locations in downtown.”

In response to Xpress questions after the meeting, City Manager Debra Campbell said the city would pay for cameras located on its own property but could not immediately provide an estimate of the system’s overall cost. She expected Council to vote on the matter in late January or early February. (As of press time, no mention of the camera system was listed on Council’s draft eightweek agenda.)

— Daniel Walton X

Economic update shows lagging Buncombe wages

After hearing a sobering presentation on Buncombe County poverty in August, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners asked staffers to dive more deeply into the county’s economic situation. The resulting update, presented at the board’s Jan. 3 meeting, shows that an existing wage gap between Buncombe and the rest of North Carolina worsened starting in 2021.

According to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics compiled by the county, average weekly wages in Buncombe lagged after the state average by about $150 from 2018-20. In 2021, that gap increased to $175, while in the first quarter of 2022 — the latest period for which data is available — it jumped to $271.

Although Buncombe’s unemployment rate of 3% is the lowest in the state, many of those jobs pay low wages. The county’s report estimates that 40% of workers in the Asheville metropolitan area earned less than $17.30 per hour, the living wage certified by Asheville-based nonprofit Just Economics, in 2021.

Asked by Commissioner Terri Wells why Buncombe’s wages were flattening against the North Carolina average, county analyst Matt Baker pointed to the makeup of new employment opportunities elsewhere in the state.

“North Carolina generally is having a technology boom. However, primarily, that technology boom that is lifting wages across the state is centered in areas such as Charlotte, Wilmington and Research Triangle Park. Asheville is not among those,” Baker said. “I would speculate … that it has to do more with our industrial makeup than it does anything else. X

HEAD HEADHUNTER: Asheville Police Department Chief David Zack speaks to the Council of Independent Business Owners at UNC Asheville Jan. 6 regarding the force’s recruitment efforts. Photo by Daniel Walton

“Local news is so important for the community. I want to make sure it keeps happening for me, my neighbors, my students and all.” – Sandra Pyeatt

Andy Douglas has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction. nhca.gurukul.edu /event/hum-103-writingour-spiritual-lives/ FEATURES

Q&A: Travis Rountree on the history of the LGBTQ+ community in WNC

When discussing his sexuality, Travis Rountree describes himself as a late bloomer. He was 26 years old when he came out in 2008. At the time, he was living in Boone, working on his master’s degree in English at Appalachian State University.

His decision to come out helped him find his queer community, Rountree says, and has continued to influence his academic research at Western Carolina University, where he now serves as assistant professor of English.

Since 2019, Rountree has been working closely with Sarah Steiner, WCU’s head of research and instruction services at Hunter Library. At the time, Steiner was in the early stages of launching an archival collection dedicated to the region’s LGBTQ+ history.

“We have such a rich, varied and inclusive queer community here in the mountains,” Steiner says. “I wanted to find small ways to highlight some of the people who’d lived here their

whole lives and to trace the personal stories that have arisen in this unique rural environment.”

Funding for the project came through just as COVID-19 shut down classes. Instead of in-person interviews with members of the local LGBTQ+ community, Rountree’s students led virtual discussions over Zoom. Soon thereafter, in October 2020, the archive joined forces with the LGBTQIA+ Archive of Western North Carolina at UNC Asheville.

Along with his work on the archive, Roundtree is the president of Sylva Pride, serves on the board of Blue Ridge Pride and is vice president of the Appalachian Studies Association.

Xpress recently spoke with Rountree about his research, personal history and what we can all learn from his archival work.

This interview has been condensed and lightly edited.

Xpress: What drew you to research queer folks in Appalachia?

Roudtree: When I came out, I was just looking for people in the region. In Boone, there were very few queer folks. I was doing dissertation research, and my partner, Caleb Pendygraft, was a big queer theory person, and he was from Appalachian Kentucky.

We wrote a book chapter together for Storytelling in Queer Appalachia Our book chapter was about being run out of a restaurant in Hillsville, Va., by a motorcycle gang. One of the guys at the bar asked us straight-up, “Are y’all homos?” And I was like, that’s the name of our chapter right there.

At one of our first presentations on this chapter, we had all these young folks who were queer. And they were crying — like weeping — and saying, “Oh my gosh, we didn’t know that there were queer people in Appalachia.”

How do you find sources to interview for your archive?

Someone will tell us that we need to research this publication or that we need to interview this person. And then that person will tell us about another person. That’s how we heard about a group here in Western North Carolina in the 1980s that was called Out in the Mountains. It was all closeted faculty and staff [at WCU], basically. They would get together and have parties to celebrate their identity. But I had no idea about that until we started interviewing a lot of the folks that were here in the ’80s. It’s really interesting.

PAST MEETS PRESENT: Since 2019, Travis Rountree, assistant professor of English at Western Carolina University, has worked to help archive the history of Western North Carolina’s LGBTQ+ community. Photo by Bryan Miler

Are there subjects you’re still looking to add to the archive?

We need to push on getting more people of color in the archive, folks who were here in the ’80s. We need to start collecting those names. And I would really like to start working with the Qualla Boundary a bit more, collecting Cherokee voices, because they’re absolutely there.

What surprises you in this research?

There was always a history here. It just hasn’t been told yet, and we haven’t been listening for it. That’s surprised me — learning how folks were successful and lived here, even closeted in this community.

The other thing that surprised me is that our students are out, proud and ready to holler about it. They do not hold back in interviews or any kind of work that we do. Their little flags are flying, big time. And I love that. I’m impressed by that. That really gives me hope.

Another reason for the work that I do is to blaze a path for the next generation. They are going to widen that path and do a lot more with it.

Would you share a story about one of the people that you’ve featured in the archive?

I interviewed Kaleb Xander Lynch, who is a local trans man in Jackson County. After he transitioned, he was in the line at the Bojangles here. This woman in line asked him, “Aren’t you that person that had the sex change?” And he replied, “Aren’t you the person that needs to mind her business?”

I like that story because he’s sassy as hell. He’s not afraid to give it back, which shows the sort of small community nature of Jackson County. That woman was someone he would see every day.

People are becoming a bit more accepting here, but that stuff still definitely happens. And I mean, we see a lot of political rhetoric around here too. But there’s been a lot more room for queer folks here. And that means I’m doing my job right as a professor and as a social activist.

What’s one of your favorite stories about introducing people to an LGBTQ+ archive?

When I was previously teaching at the University of Louisville, I worked with another LGBTQ+ archive, the Williams-Nichols Archive. I brought my class to the collection, and the archivist brought out all the stuff — The Bears [a self-assumed nickname for hairy and brawny gay men] of Louisville cookbook from 1996 and a vest from Mr. Leather 2017 [a competition for the leather community].

My students’ eyes were opened. That was the moment that I was like, ‘This is amazing.’ And it’s funny because in that moment, it switched. The students sort of felt like the queer ones, right? They had that moment of discomfort, but also, ‘Oh, what’s this community that I didn’t know about? That’s here in Louisville?’

With my work with Pride, what surprises me are the folks who have come up to me and have been so grateful to have a moment where they can be out and proud of who they are. We should call that emotional work in academia. That makes me feel good. But also, it’s like I’m doing the work that I should be doing. A lot of this is interwoven. The archive influences Pride, and Pride influences the archive. And that also influences what we do in the community.

What do you think the average person can learn from the history of queer people in the South?

The history of who we are, how far we go back and also where we’re going. You can look at the more canonized stuff like Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Dorothy Allison and all the big names that we know and love. But there’s also other undercurrents that were written about at that time, in newspapers and magazines and stuff like that. Queer future theory is a big thing in research and scholarship now, too. But looking at the past to go forward is critically important as well.

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES

‘The best foot forward’

Early traffic woes spark updates to Asheville’s trolley system, 1923-24

When it came to the issue of traffic, Asheville Mayor John H. Cathey did not mince words.

“I would be willing to allow the Asheville Power and Lights company to operate their cars through the City Hall if it would stop the congestion on Pack Square,” he declared to members of the Civitan Club during a luncheon on Nov. 7, 1923.

His words, reported in the Nov. 8, 1923, edition The Asheville Citizen, were echoed by others in the community throughout much of that year.

Eleven months prior, in a Jan. 6, editorial, the paper demanded action to remedy the issue. “Motor cars in motion often block the tracks, unavoidably in most cases, and when motionless, block trolley traffic by parking too near the rails, this without possible excuse,” The Asheville Citizen declared. “Many times a day street car passengers are delayed while motormen and conductors alight to push parked motors from the right of way — and the street car schedule is at once disarranged.”

By April, city planner John Nolen submitted a proposal to the Board of City Commissioners to reroute the streetcar system. Among the recommendations made, Nolen suggested eliminating the current transfer system, which required all trolleys to assemble at Pack Square at the same time. He also proposed that the trolley line be removed from Patton Avenue and rerouted down College Street.

On July 13, 1923, The Asheville Citizen reported that the commissioners were finally starting to consider the issue. The paper, however, seemed convinced there was a single solution.

“[T]he only hope of relief seems to lie in a radical re-organization of service which will involve abandonment of the square as a common transfer point,” the editorial declared. “This does not mean that there would be no transfers there but only that all cars would not meet there at fixed interval. We must confess to regret at the old order passing but conditions seem to make it obsolete and require a new arrangement despite the difficulties attending it because of lack of double track.”

Less than two weeks later, the paper reported on rumors that a revised streetcar schedule was imminent. “[It] was learned yesterday from a source believed authoritative, that the heads of the Asheville Power and Light Company are just as anxious to relieve

congestion on Pack Square as are the City Commissioners.”

But no new schedule arrived.

Instead, on Sept. 19, The Asheville Citizen reported that C.S. Walters, the recently appointed vice president and general manager of Asheville Power and Lights, presented costs to the mayor associated with Nolen’s plan. The construction of a new line through College Street, as well as introducing new direct service to West Asheville, would run around $200,000 (nearly $3.5 million in today’s currency).

In the following day’s paper, The Asheville Citizen voiced strong support of the proposed plan, writing:

“That the Power and Light Company believes it can improve its transportation system so as to make it better serve the people of Asheville is proved by its willingness to invest no small sum of money in a transportation business on which the Company is now losing money. The Company believes that Asheville cannot dispense with street railway

service, despite the increasing number of automobiles and other motor vehicles. The Company believes that if the service is reorganized so as to do away with the present delay and inconvenience of cars running off schedule, the public will naturally give the street cars a larger patronage. Mr. Walters proposes a far-reaching plan for more adequate service. He should receive the cooperation of the people in making his ambition a reality.”

Yet, subsequent coverage on the matter did not appear in print that year. Instead, on Dec. 21, 1923, The Asheville Citizen informed readers that a new schedule for the streetcars was set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 1924, “to eliminate congestion on Pack Square[.]”

At the start of 1924, the updated schedule appeared regularly in the paper’s daily publication. Opinions on the matter were less frequent.

But on March 26, 1924, the topic resurfaced:

“While congestion on Pack Square has been greatly eased by the street car schedule inaugurated January 1, and general satisfaction has been expressed at the result, the need of new equipment is being urgently felt by the local utilities company, stated Mr. Cathey, and since every city which has employed the one-man car system has found it an improvement, Asheville contemplates following the example.”

Ultimately, the city would indeed act. On Jan. 13, 1925, The Asheville Citizen reported on the successful introduction of the new model:

“The one-man street cars now in operation give assurance of doing all for convenience and speedy locomotion that was promised for them by the officials of the Asheville Power and Light Company. Six of the new models are now in use and others will be placed on other lines, according to the present plans of the company, and Asheville may well look forward with satisfaction to the day not far off when it will have seven-and-a-half-minute schedules on all its car lines.”

The paper noted that the new models, constructed of steel, were also lighter than the old cars and evidently “fool-proof” in terms of operation.

“Their good lines and general appearance will do not a little to make the whole town more presentable to visitors and at the same time foster a community sense of having the best foot forward,” the article asserted.

Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X

GRIDLOCK: As the popularity of automobiles grew in Western North Carolina, traffic issues soon followed. One of the earliest problems involved drivers parking their cars on the trolley lines. By 1923, residents and city officials alike began seeking answers to the problem. Photo courtesy of the Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Public Library

POKING FUN: On July 10, 1923, The Asheville Citizen ran this cartoon illustrated by Billy Borne.

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

WELLNESS

Baby Gym

Drop in and play any time until noon. There will be mats of all shapes and sizes to climb, roll and bounce around on with other babies.

WE (1/11), 11am, Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd

Tai Chi for Beginners

For all ages and abilities.

TH (1/12, 19), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Nar-Anon Family Group Meeting

Weekly meeting for family and friends of addicts. Use Door C.

TH (1/12, 19), 7pm, 1316 Patton Ave

Asheville Aphasia Support Group

Every Friday in Rm 345. No RSVP needed.

FR (1/13), 10am, WCU at Biltmore Park, 28 Schenck Pkwy, Ste 300

Yoga for Kids

Explore the joy of movement, develop fitness and confidence, and connect to an inner sense of stillness and calm. For kids of all ages.

FR (1/13), 2pm, Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd, Leicester

Magnetic Minds: Depression/Bipolar Support Group

Weekly meeting for

those who suffer with depression, bipolar and other mental health challenges. Email depressionbipolarasheville@gmail.com or call or text (828)367-7660 for more info.

SA (1/14), 2pm, 1316-C Parkwood Rd

Wild Souls Authentic Movement Class

A conscious movement experience in a 100year old building with a community of women at all life stages.

SU (1/15), Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard Ben's Friends Offering supportive community to food and beverage industry professionals struggling with addiction and substance abuse. Every Tuesday.

TU (1/17), 10am, Avenue M, 791 Merrimon Ave

Narcotics Anonymous Meetings

Visit wncna.org/ basic-meeting for dates, times and locations.

ART

Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze

Through sculpture, installation, and conceptual art, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human

experiences. Open 11am, closed Tuesdays. Through Mar. 20. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Colby Caldwell: landmarks An exhibition of new work by Asheville-based photographer Colby Caldwell, through Feb. 18. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-5pm.

Tracey Morgan Gallery, 188 Coxe Ave

Night/Visionary

A five-person exhibition featuring contemplative works on paper, panel and canvas by Josephine Close, Renato Órdenes San Martín, Kyung Soon Park, Christina Haglid and Eli McMullen. Through Feb. 26. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday 10am and Sunday 11am. See p33 Tyger Tyger Gallery, 191 Lyman St

Winter Magic Annual group exhibition with over 20 local artists participating.

Gallery open daily 11am. Exhibit through Jan. 31.

Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave

Photography of Kathy Kmonicek Morganton, NC resident and multiple Pulitzer prize finalist will have her work featured in the FW Gallery through Jan. 31. Open daily 11am.

Woolworth Walk, 25 Haywood St

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Pianist Brian Turner Solo piano in the Great Hall.

FR (1/13), 7pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave

Family Folk Dance

A dance teacher will instruct dances from the American folk tradition, as well as a few international ones, as a live band plays. All ages, no experience necessary. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

SU (1/15), 3pm, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Rd

Emanuel Ax in Recital Grammy award-winning pianist performs.

WE (1/18), 7:30pm, $35, Brevard Music Center, 349 Andante Ln, Brevard

LITERARY

Poetry Open Mic Hendo

A poetry-centered open mic that welcomes all kinds of performers. 18+

TH (1/12, 19), 7:30pm, Shakedown Lounge, 706 Seventh Ave East, Hendersonville

East Fork presents Alex Elle

See p32 SU (1/15), 5pm, Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave

Asheville Storytelling Circle Monthly Meeting

New members and guests are always welcome to attend and tell a story. Also available via Zoom: visit avl.mx/car. MO (1/16), 7pm, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave

The Moth presents Asheville StorySLAM: Vices

Prepare a five-minute story about a wicked habit, a mild failing or a defect in your otherwise perfect self. Or come observe. MO (1/16), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Debut Storytellers

weekly poetry-centric open mic.

WE (1/11, 18), 8pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

THEATER & FILM

Peter Pan Jr.

Based on J.M. Barrie’s classic tale, the play tells the story or Peter, Tinkerbell and the Darling children. See p 32-33

SA (1/14), 6pm, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

Delighted Tobehere in Simply Delighted A one-woman show from a seven foot tall, award-winning Southern drag queen, featuring favorites from Disney to country, and pop to Broadway.

TH (1/19), 7:30pm, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

to pay in advance, or pay cash upon arrival.

TH (1/12, 19), 6:30pm, The Auricle Room, 68 Kentucky Dr

Blue Ridge Audubon Bird Outing

Free and open to all, beginner birders welcome. Meet at the administrative building parking lot.

SA (1/14), 9am, Jackson Park, 801 Glover St, Hendersonville

Sanctuary Saturdays Join others in the community for a free hot lunch in a warm and safe setting. Use the restroom, charge your phone, be part of a conversation, play cards, rest - all are welcome. See p30 SA (1/14), 11am, First Presbyterian Church Asheville, 40 Church St

Gaming with Megan Enjoy an afternoon of video games and traditional board games, for grades 6-12.

•

New York Times bestselling author Alex Elle, in conversation with East Fork co-founder Connie Matisse, in discussion of Elle's book How We Heal, as well as a celebration of the release of a special collaboration with the author.

FR (1/13), 6pm, East Fork Pottery, 15 W Walnut St

A small business coach, a writer, a retired teacher, and a retired engineer will share stories that are funny, touching, adventurous and everywhere in between. Sponsored by the Weaverville Center for Creative and Healthy Living. TU (1/17), 7pm, Free, Lake Louise Community Center, Weaverville

Poetry Open Mic w/ Host Caleb Beissert All forms of entertainment welcome at this

Cocktail Classes: Call Me Old Fashioned This class will focus on the science behind creating stirred cocktails: diving into dilution, stirring, proper pouring technique, and an in-depth garnish presentation.

TH (1/12), 6pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Company, 1556 Grovestone Rd, Black Mountain

Authentic Relating Games Exercises that create a safe way to go beyond small talk, explore your edges, and experience personal belonging and growth. Contact levichettle@gmail.com

SA (1/14), 2pm, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

Saturday Board Game Afternoons

A selection of board and card games for ages 7 and above will be provided. Registration required, visit avl.mx/6qa.

SA (1/14), 2pm, Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St, Swannanoa

Scrabble Club

All gear provided, just bring your vocabulary. Every Sunday.

SU (1/15), 12:15pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Yetzirah

Featuring readings from Rebecca Aronson, published by Asheville’s Orison Books; Rachel Hadas, recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in poetry; and Maya Pindyck, whose 2021 book, Impossible Belonging, won the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry.

CAPTURING THE MOMENT: Pulitzer Prize finalist photojournalist Kathy Kmonicek’s images of Western North Carolina will be on display in the FW Gallery at Woolworth Walk through Tuesday, Jan. 31. Woolworth Walk is open Monday-Saturday, 11

Workshop: Characterization and the Body

Acting coach, director and performer Jamie Knox will lead attendees through a series of exercises to make your work more physically dynamic, prepare for giving a memorable audition, approach a character from the outside in and more.

SU (1/15), 2:30pm, $30, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St

Birding for Kids

An educational program for school age kids with the North Carolina Arboretum to explore the unique features and diversity of birds.

WE (1/18), 4pm, Weaverville Library, 41 N Main St, Weaverville

Introduction to Medicare: Understanding the Puzzle

The class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. To register, visit coabc.org or call (828)277-8288.

WE (1/18), 5:30pm, Online, visit avl.mx/9hz

LOCAL MARKETS

RAD

Farmers Market Winter Season

Providing year-round access to fresh local food, with 25-30 vendors selling baked goods, produce, sauces, honeys, meats, cheeses, and crafts. Accessibility parking available in the Smoky Park lot, free public parking along Riverside Drive. Also by foot, bike, or rollerblade via the Wilma Dykeman Greenway. WE (1/11, 18), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

MLK Prayer Breakfast

To celebrate diversity, community and King’s legacy. See p30 SA (1/14), 8am, Crowne Plaza Resort, 1 Resort Dr

13th Annual Kenilworth Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The discussion will center around "Keeping the Promise: Accountability and Reparations in Asheville," with speakers Dr Dwight Mullen, Chair, and Ms.

Dewana Little, Co-Chair of the Reparations Commission for Asheville and Buncombe County. The conversation will be moderated by Councilwoman Antanette Mosley, and DJ Profe$$ah G. will spin tunes. MO (1/16), 6:30pm, Free, Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Rd

Asheville Restaurant Week

With 40 restaurants participating. See p30 TU (1/17) - MO (1/23)

Multiple Locations

Clint Smith: Our History, Reimagined

The award-winning author and journalist will present a keynote address in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. No advanced registration or tickets are required. WE (1/18), 7pm, Lipinsky Auditorium at UNC Asheville, 300 Library Ln

Tryon Resort Holiday Ice Skating Enjoy ice skating, see festive light displays, eat, and shop. With skate rentals available by the hour, various times through Feb. 14, 2023. Visit avl.mx/c73

Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Coverfest II: a benefit concert for Asheville Middle School

To help raise funds for the school's annual 8th grade trip to Washington, DC. Local businesses and individuals have donated a wide array of items that will be available during a silent auction while several of Asheville's local bands perform mini-sets of covers throughout the day.

SU (1/15), 5pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Date Night with Divine Interactive games and shenanigans. All profits go to Arms Around ASD 501c3. Donations encouraged. Produced by Asheville Drag Brunch.

TH (1/19), 7pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy

Awkward conversation

How to talk to your kids about online pornography

No parent wants to talk about pornography with their child. No child wants to talk about porn with their parents. These are facts.

Yet John Van Arnam of Black Mountain has taken the Sisyphean task of making sure these conversations occur. Children’s mental and physical health depend on it, he says.

Van Arnam worked in online sales, processing credit card payments early in his career. It was there he learned about the big business of online pornography and the difficulty in corralling its spread to underage users. Van Arnam is the founder of The Third Talk, a limited liability company he started in 2013 that became a nonprofit in 2017. It’s focused on facilitating these conversations through coaching and speaking at schools, churches and parent organizations. He has

spoken at several charter schools and private schools in Asheville.

Most parents know that their kids can find online porn, Van Arnam says. They just don’t realize how easy it is to access, how extreme the porn can be and how young the kids accessing it actually are. “We have to understand the world our kids are living in — not the world we wished they lived in,” he explains.

Xpress spoke with Van Arnam about how children are accessing adult content, sex positivity and how parents can provide a safe space for their kids to talk about tricky topics.

This interview has been condensed for length and edited for clarity.

I think we can assume that savvy teenagers know how to skirt filters or restrictions in order to access adult content. But you say research shows kids first see porn

between age 8 and 14. So how are these younger kids able to get to it?

Little kids are able to access pornography on any Internetconnected device — Xboxes, Kindles, PlayStations, laptops, cellphones. Our kids have access to internet pornography — period, end of story. I have talked to parents whose 6-year-old is watching [porn] and not just once or twice. We, as adults, need to understand our kids are watching porn. We give them the phone. We pay the Verizon bill. That phone is in their back pocket in the house, out of the house, on the bus, at the school, at a sleepover.

Why are kids seeking out adult content, though? When I was a kid, coming across anything sexual on TV or in a movie, for me, was like, “Eww!”

They may watch [porn] and say “Eww!” but their brain is releasing an exorbitant amount of dopamine. And then the brain says to them “More dopamine, please!” Now, if you get your dopamine by kicking a soccer ball into a goal, you might become a good soccer player. If you get your dopamine by winning a spelling bee or figuring out long math equations, you might be an engineer. But if you get your dopamine by watching internet pornography, you may become a good pornography watcher. And that leads to aggression, depression, loneliness.

Can you elaborate on that?

[The dopamine response from watching porn] physically changes

EMBRACE THE AWKWARDNESS:

“We have to understand the world our kids are living in — not the world we wished they lived in,” says John Van Arnam, whose nonprofit The Third Talk facilitates conversations between parents and children about online pornography. Photo courtesy of Van Arnam

a young person’s brain at a time when their brain is particularly malleable. If this was happening to 30-year-olds, we wouldn’t be as worried because their brains are developed. But this is happening to 11-year-olds whose brains are in a critical and incredibly impressionable time. … I can’t imagine what it’s like going through puberty having 100 million pornography videos in your back pocket.

This is not like [kids are watching] two people who are expressing kindness to each other. This is extreme content specifically designed to create clicks for the producer [who is] like “How extreme can we get?” The challenge is that when an 11-year-old types in “what do girls look like”

what comes up is so extreme and so out there and so far from reality. And then, of course, his brain releases dopamine.

How is consuming adult content as children affecting their friendships and future relationships?

What happens is when you’re watching this pornography at such young ages, you begin to see people as sex objects. … [A boy] might meet a wonderful girl as a sophomore in high school, and think, “Oh, she’d be great if she had a bigger butt or a smaller butt or bigger boobs or smaller boobs.” And what’s going to happen is that he’ll miss out on the quirky way she eats her ice cream, and he’ll miss out on her funny sense of humor. … He’ll miss all the elements that are important to set into muscle memory for healthy, long-term relationships down the road.

How do you talk about this subject without being anti-sex ed or not being sex positive?

Do I sound anti-sex ed or anti-sex positive to you?

No, but I think there might be people who believe in abstinence-only sex education who might think your message complements theirs.

I have begun to discuss healthy sexuality when I am requested to, but The Third Talk is not about sex ed. It’s about the prevention of exposure to internet pornography for our young people. And I will say, maybe a little flippantly, I don’t think porn has anything to do with sex. I don’t think porn has anything

to do with sex the same way “Fast and Furious” movies don’t have anything to do with driving. … I am all about healthy sex. It’s one of the greatest things in the world. Pornography has nothing to do with healthy sex. My take is nope, just don’t watch pornography. Not one video is safe.

Some people might say, “Oh, kids have always tried to sneak a peek at Playboy ” or “kids have always tried to watch Real Sex on HBO after their parents went to bed!” Do you encounter parents who listen to your presentations about online porn and ask what’s the harm?

I don’t. It’s not that people don’t know it’s a problem — it’s that they won’t say it out loud. If parents said, “We should all be talking about this!” then we could end this challenge very quickly. It’s just that parents don’t want to talk about it.

Your work advises parents to be a “safe space” for their children to talk openly about consuming porn. What does being a safe space mean, exactly?

[Imagine] a kid coming up to a mom or a dad and saying, “I’ve been watching a lot of pornography, it’s weird and I can’t seem to stop” What parents do now is slam their computer down, take their [kids’] laptop, take their phone and say “What will the neighbors think? You’re grounded, young man!” [So the child thinks] “I’m definitely not going to bring that up!”

We have to have the same emotion, or the same response, as if

our kids had been in a car accident or a boat wreck — “Oh, my gosh, honey, I love you so much.” Because without that, our children literally do not have any place to go. They can’t go to their teachers. Teachers can’t address this topic because parents don’t want them to. So parents need to not only just listen, but they also need to guard their facial expressions and their verbalizations like Fort Knox.

— Jessica Wakeman X

From motherhood to murder

Julia Sanders, Marlowe, The Maggie Valley Band and Tristan Smith release new albums

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

earnaudin@mountainx.com

Seconds after Julia Sanders logs on for her Zoom interview with Xpress , her 4-year-old daughter begins describing how to dip a chicken nugget into ketchup. Given the option to reschedule the chat, however, the Asheville-based singer-songwriter defers.

“I feel like if I can’t have kiddo interruptions talking about a record about being a mom, then what does that even mean?” she posits with a laugh.

Indeed, it would almost seem inauthentic to discuss Sanders’ phenomenal new album, Morning Star , without a cameo from one or both of her children. Her second LP is defined by her transition to motherhood over the past four years.

Sessions for her latest album began in fall 2021 with songs recorded live to reel-to-reel tape with Sanders on guitar and vocals alongside bandmates Stacy Glasgow (drums) and Mick Glasgow (bass). But her then in-utero son decided to make his presence felt, cutting the initial round of recording short.

“I was trying to sing and I was like, ‘I can’t. There’s a large baby on my diaphragm. That’s it — we got to wrap,’” Sanders recalls. “So we did.”

Those live takes were then digitized and sent to local producer John James Tourville , who started playing around with layering and overdubs. Once Sanders concluded her maternity leave, she returned to the studio to complete the remaining tracks with some fellow local country/Americana all-stars, including guitarist/vocalists Erika Lewis and K.M. Fuller (Gold Rose), cellist Melissa Hyman (The Moon and You) and fiddlers Lyndsay Pruett (Jon Stickley Trio) and Megan Drollinger (Life Like Water).

The extra time benefited the album, Sanders believes. The break, she explains, “let each individual track have its own arrangement and its own sound.”

In the process, she worked through her stigmas of writing about motherhood and family life. Initially, she felt that such subject matter “wasn’t rock ’n‘ roll enough.” But Sanders gradually

recognized the dearth of songs about parenthood, despite the large number of musicians with children, and sought to fill that void.

“[Parenthood] doesn’t have the glamor of an epic heartbreak or a drug binge, but it’s a big life transition that a lot of people go through,” Sanders says. “Music is a big way that I connect with how I’m feeling. I think that’s why we all love music: when we’re having an

experience and we need to connect and not feel alone, we reach out to the records that speak to us.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/ca5.

THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY

While living in Seattle for multiple years, Austin Hart became a proud North Carolinian. The

Wilmington native, who produces hip-hop tracks under the name L’Orange, says there was a laughable misunderstanding of Southern culture in the Pacific Northwest.

“[They think Southerners] have sex with their cousins and they’re stupid. Like, what? Why did we get the worst one by far?” he says. “When I was there, I tried to represent the South in a way that was eye-opening for some people that

SO THIS IS THE NEW YEAR: Clockwise from top left, Julia Sanders, Marlowe, The Maggie Valley Band and Tristan Smith released new albums just before the close of 2022. Sanders photo by Wild and Bright Photography; Marlowe photo by Kevin Titus; Maggie Valley Band photo by Joel Andrews; Smith photo courtesy of the artist

may think that those stereotypes are actually true.”

Since spring 2021, Hart has called Asheville home, where he and Wilmington-based lyricist Solemn Brigham worked on their latest collaboration, Marlowe 3 . Though Brigham tracked his verses on the coast, the rich chemistry between the sonic partners gives the sense of them being in the same room throughout the recording process.

The duo have been friends since meeting at UNC Wilmington in 2008. While in college, they briefly worked together on music, before initially parting creative ways.

But in 2018, Hart reunited with Brigham, who’d kept rapping for fun but hadn’t recorded anything since his college days. In Seattle, the two recorded “Lost Arts,” “Palm Readers” and “Demonstration,” which appeared on their debut self-titled album Marlowe

The 2018 release wound up being the most successful of Hart’s career, despite a resume that includes Time? Astonishing! with renowned rapper Kool Keith

“The quality is all over the place. It’s just raw but it reminded me of having fun, the way we used to when we were making beats and everything had magic to it,” Hart says. “Most importantly, it gave me the opportunity to keep working with [Brigham]. It’s such a bizarre experience to work with my best friend. It’s not something I ever would’ve expected, but it’s the coolest part of my career.”

Now with two subsequent Marlowe albums, each more impressive than the last, Hart hopes to further bolster the distinct musical creativity coming from the state. He also strives to have Marlowe more frequently mentioned in conversations about North Carolina hip-hop. With both members now living in the Tar Heel State, Hart’s optimistic about achieving these results.

“There’s some places that still say [Marlowe is] a Seattle group. And I’m like, ‘No!’ Even when I lived in Seattle, it was a North Carolina group,” Hart says. “I’m not influenced by Seattle. I’m from North Carolina — that’s my town, my music. That’s what I’ve always been. That’s the place that made me.”

For more information, visit avl.mx/cae.

POP FINGERPRINTS

Whitney Miller was furious with The Felice Brothers.

The Hudson Valley folk rockers behind the infectious hit “Frankie’s Gun!” changed their sound in the 2010s, incorporating slick production that, to her, felt at odds with their grimy, authentic early songs. In time, however, the decision made perfect sense.

“Now, being an artist myself, I’m like, ‘It’s OK for people to experiment and try out different things,’” says the guitarist/vocalist for The Maggie Valley Band. “Our guide for [production] is, ‘What serves the song best?’”

She and her sister Caroline Miller (bass/vocals) hold true to that ethos on their new album, Breakdown , which finds the Haywood County alt-rockers trying on a decidedly pop-friendly sound and wearing it remarkably well. The influence of Asheville-based producer Matt Langston is evident from album opener “Real Friends,” which shares plenty of DNA with his output in the band Eleventyseven — and is wholly intentional.

“Every time we work with a producer, we love this idea that they get to put their thumbprint on our sound,” Whitney says. “It’s really fun to get that producer to be an actual teammate, coach and leader.”

The Maggie Valley Band had similar success letting the particular styles of David Mayfield (2018’s The Hardest Thing ) and Rev Wray (2020’s Something New, Volume I ) mix with the sisters’ music, and cite Dolly Parton ’s genre-hopping ways in the 1980s as an inspiration to dabble in various influences.

Yet, underneath each track are the group’s recognizable alt-country ways. One outright folk/bluegrass number on the album is “Walls,” which the Millers say help satisfy their supportive fan base without completely alienating them.

“We don’t want to be like, ‘Screw our audience! We don’t care what you want anymore — it’s about what we want,’” Whitney says. “But we do want to experiment, and we like such eclectic things.”

Even influences they don’t necessarily love make their way into the songs. The album’s closer (and highlight) “Tougher Than Me” has echoes of John Mayer ’s “Waiting on the World to Change” — which Whitney promises is coincidental.

“That happened to us before when we were working with Rev [Wray]. One of the guys walked in and was like, ‘You can’t do that! That’s too John Mayer,’” she says with a laugh. “The funny thing is I do not listen to John Mayer at all. I’m sorry to admit that, but maybe I

should more. I need to give the guy a chance, apparently.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/ca3.

MR. DIY

Numerous influences are also evident throughout Tristan Smith ’s marvelous Kill Your Neighbor , whose jarring title feels vindicated by such aggressive numbers as album opener “Lament for the Sun” and other punk-rock anthems.

But like the LP’s cheerful cover art, featuring flowers and a rainbow-filled sky painted by Smith, there are plentiful forces at play across the collection’s 14 tracks. And despite the album’s title, Smith notes that he does not condone random acts of violence against anyone.

“I’ve grown up listening to a million, billion different types of music and have a hard time writing in one specific style,” Smith says. “Whatever comes out, comes out — and that could be a really gritty punk rock thing or just me sitting with an acoustic guitar.”

The local singer-songwriter displayed a similar eclectic style on his two previous albums and as a longtime member of the self-described “avant-garage punk trio” Fortezza. The band formed in Smith’s native Winston-Salem, relocated to Asheville and disbanded this fall, leaving him more time to focus on his solo work.

Whether rocking out or shifting to acoustic tracks (“The Day It Comes”; “Daisies”) or instrumen-

tals (“One Last Tide”; “I Would Make It So”), Smith plays every instrument on Kill Your Neighbor While that approach involved tapping into plenty of familiar objects — he’s been playing guitar since the age of 7 — the album also captures his first dabbling with lap steel guitar, adding slide sounds to the already rich textures.

It all converges in warm production that straddles the line between lo-fi bedroom tracking and a session at Echo Mountain Recording. True to his DIY commitment, Smith also did all the recording, mixing and mastering himself, using ProTools and what he describes as “an old crappy tape machine.”

“A lot of the learning of recording and whatnot was going to school [at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown] for it,” he says. “But also a lot of it was just getting bored at home and messing around with a computer.”

True to form, Smith is additionally retooling the songs from Kill Your Neighbor and others in his catalog for performance — but with a twist.

“I’m working on doing my own thing with me, a guitar and then a kick drum and a high-hat to do the one-man-band thing,” he says. “One of the biggest challenges of being in a band is touring with other people, so to be able to perform stuff just on my own, I feel like I’d be a little more comfortable with it.”

For more information, visit avl.mx/caa. X

BY THOMAS CALDER

As a child, Michael Hettich ’s father regularly read poetry to him — works by T.S. Eliot , Robert Frost and William Butler Yeats.

“But it wasn’t until my second year in college, when one of my professors read a translation of César Vallejo ’s ‘Black Stone Lying on a White Stone,’ that I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to writing poetry,” the Black Mountainbased, award-winning poet says.

“The poem was so haunted and wild and viscerally alive that it

made me feel regions in myself I don’t think I’d ever felt before.”

Originally from Brooklyn, Hettich holds a doctorate in English and American literature from the University of Miami. For 28 years, he served as professor of English at Miami Dade College. In 2018, Hettich retired; he and his wife, Colleen , relocated to Black Mountain shortly thereafter.

In this month’s poetry feature, we speak with Hettich about the way poetry connects readers to the living and the dead, the art form’s ability to capture the unsayable and the influential and metaphorical power nature plays in his

The Distant Waterfall by Michael Hettich

The big bear appears at your living room window so close you can study his pigeon-toed walk, his delicate steps around the potted plants on your back wall. He sniffs at the base of the dogwood where you dump your morning coffee grinds; you watch him cock his ears when he hears you, naked behind the sliding glass door.

work. Along with the conversation is Hettich’s poem, “The Distant Waterfall,” from his 2021 collection, The Mica Mine .

Xpress: What inspired this particular poem?

Hettich: Unlike most of the poems I write, this one was sparked — literally — by the occasion it recounts: I woke up one morning to see a big bear sauntering along just outside our kitchen window, like a dream that lingered in my just-awakened mind. Exactly as the poem recounts, I stood watching him, impressed by a kind of gentleness in his demeanor, then remembered the pungent bag of garbage in our garage, so I ran out there in my scrawny naked human body to scare him away. It worked!

Up to this point, the poem faithfully documents my experience. It’s here — at this “turn” — that the poem takes off and becomes interesting to me, as it moves from literal documentation into something more nuanced, complicated and ultimately unsayable by any form other than poetry.

I do, in fact, wander widely through the woods surrounding our house, looking not so much for a literal waterfall as for something brimming with the kind of energy and magic — and awe — a waterfall brings to any landscape. So, the waterfall is a trope — a metaphor for something we intuit but never seem to be able to actually come face to face with, some beautiful place where full happiness might be possible. We’re always straining to hear, or to feel, such a place, and of course we never get there. In fact, as the last lines tell us, such a quest can be a dangerous one, ending up in our being totally lost.

The poem itself was discovered in the vision of that bear, as I let myself follow its cadences and images toward the conclusion it reached. That’s part of why I trust it as a poem.

I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on poetry as a vessel for conveying the unsayable.

kept on looking deeper, moving further off the trail.

Now he moves up the slope across the garden, pausing to sniff new flowers and slurp a quick drink from the bird bath—he doesn’t knock it over—then down to the carport outside the garage where you stand now, still naked, to watch him. There’s a big bag of garbage on the floor beside you: mussel shells and fish bones, so you thump on the door and growl like the fearsome old man you’ve suddenly become, and he seems to believe you, turns away and saunters up into the woods, back up into the mountains just starting to green with spring, where you wandered yesterday looking for the waterfall whose roar you thought you could hear in the distance but never seemed to get closer to, no matter how you bushwhacked and listened, then bushwhacked again—until you realized it was probably just the ringing in your ears or the distant highway, or simply the beautiful place you’ve imagined finding for yourself and your family to visit and be happy, and you’d pretty soon be lost if

I think one of the primary functions of poetry — indeed of any art — is to communicate glimpses into what’s ultimately beyond our ken, that place of need and yearning where the mysteries reside.

BEYOND OUR KEN: “I think one of the primary functions of poetry — indeed of any art — is to communicate glimpses into what’s ultimately beyond our ken, that place of need and yearning where the mysteries reside,” says poet Michael Hettich.

Of course — again — we never get there, except perhaps in those moments that resist paraphrase but make perfect sense. Such moments move us deeply, I think, because they fulfill a primal human need, not to find answers to unanswerable questions but instead to validate — and dramatize — our yearning to communicate fully with each other and ourselves.

In my own practice of poetry, I try as much as possible to focus my attention on cadence and rhythm, listening carefully to that cadence as I move forward, focusing my attention on the breath and the heartbeat of the poem while letting its images and narrative (if there is one) take my language forward. When this works — that is, when I’m able to forget myself in the process and simply follow the song — I trust the poem, trust its organic unity and truth. It’s a way of thinking beyond myself, in collaboration with my body — and with the great tradition of poetry that’s preceded me as well.

So, the formal practice of poetry as I see it has to do with centering on the breath, the heartbeat and the movement of our bodies as we walk. When we fully enter these processes, we can sometimes move beyond “thinking” into a place of intuition and the unsayable. In this sense, poetry might be thought of as “captured breath,” just as breath itself might be a figure for the spirit or soul.

And here’s something I find wonderful and inspiring: To really read a poem — any poem — we must breathe with the breath of the author of that poem, taking in the mystery of the unsayable urgencies that pricked that poet’s yearning — often hundreds of years ago — and still prick our own human yearnings today.

This notion of a deep connection across centuries — is that concept something you felt early on as a poet or did that reveal itself to you gradually?

I find one of the most inspiring aspects of writing poetry, for me, lies in the visceral sense that I’m participating in perhaps the oldest “art form” known to humans, certainly as old as cave paintings or dance. It’s an unbroken thread of breath running back at least 50,000 years.

My goal as a poet is to carry that fire forward a little bit, to pass it on somehow intact to those who will sing beyond me. That, to my mind, is more invigorating and inspiring than the hope — fantasy, really — of any real recognition of me as an individual poet, beyond my small time here on Earth.

And that realization opens up into all sorts of other wonderful realizations having to do with human culture as well as with our connections to other living creatures — all those other breathing entities — that surround us. It’s a kind of caring about the larger

spirit of things — articulated in the breath of poetry — rather than in the mere self, this temporary manifestation of the breath. Which doesn’t mean I’m not hungry for whatever recognition comes my way.

To finally answer your actual question: I think from the beginning I had a sense — in the poets I loved most — of something larger than the merely personal and that this “breath embodied” was what moved me most in any poem. I have too many influences to list here. Certainly [ Ralph Waldo ] Emerson ’s essays played a formative role for me. However, I think the moment of true revelation came when I was introduced to the well-translated Native American poetry collected in A. Grove Day ’s The Sky Clears and John Bierhorst ’s Four Masterworks of American Indian Literature . This was around 1978. The poems and commentary in these books just opened my mind and heart in ways that resonate still.

Is there a recent local poetry collection that excites you? If so, what draws you to the work?

Merrill Gilfillan is a poet, essayist and fiction writer who lived for a long time in Boulder, Colo., and now lives in Asheville. Though not technically “poetry,” the writing in his story collection, Talk Across Water , which was published by Flood Editions in 2019, is so beautifully nuanced and modulated, so full of incisive imagery and deft phrasing, that it sang to me as the best poetry does. And it continues to sing each time I dip in. Some of the stories are very short — short enough, in fact, to feel like prose poems. I’m with [poet] Jim Harrison , who said: “If anyone writes better prose in America, I am unaware of it.” [Gilfillan] deserves to be better known.

Lastly, who are the four poets on your Mount Rushmore?

I’ll list the poets who published most of their work after 1950 and have most influenced my own life and work. I want to emphasize, though, that I’m not at all suggesting that these are “the best” of their time, just that reading them changed my life and work most significantly. Ask me tomorrow, and I may have a different answer. Today they are: Gary Snyder , W.S. Merwin , Czesław Miłosz and Linda Gregg — with Pablo Neruda doing the carving. X

Photo by Colleen Hettich

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

Insiders assess the local art scene

POETRY PERFORMANCE

Mildred Barya

Mildred Barya is an Ashevillebased poet and an assistant professor of English at UNC Asheville.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming poetry/literary event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to attending?

Barya: My friend Jennifer McGaha is launching her new book, Bushwhacking: How to Get Lost in the Woods and Write Your Way Out, at Malaprop’s on Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. We started talking about the book’s publication when she was still writing some chapters a while back. It’s wonderful to complete such an engaging project and have the product in one’s hands. avl.mx/c9x

Outside of literature, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

Story Parlor’s outstanding and inspiring events feature a diversity of artists giving performances in music, poetry, comedy, stories, film, theater and so on. I’m especially looking forward to their “Homeland”themed event on Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. avl.mx/c9w

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

A collection of creative nonfiction essays about identity, belonging and the meaning of home, currently titled Being Here in This Body. While I don’t use the traditional travel narrative genre, the essays I’ve written so far move back and forth between

Uganda and different places in the diaspora, exploring relations and social justice issues among humans and the natural world.

The content of this project keeps surprising me, and that’s what I’m mostly excited about. My interest is to locate personal stories within the larger body of narratives about geopolitical experiences of crossing borders and creating communities in new places, highlighting the joys, burdens and expectations that come with all of that. I’m still in the writing process but my poetry collection, The Animals of My Earth School, will be published in April. X

Jess Cooley

Jess Cooley is an Asheville-based stand-up comedian.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming comedy event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Cooley: It’s so hard to pick just one — this scene is very special to me. The venues, the comics, the crowds … it’s a very rare place where, as a comic, you can actually work on material with decent and frequent audience feedback. It’s also attracted an incredibly diverse group of comedians with a wide range of styles and perspectives. It would be a disservice to the scene for me to pick just one event, so if you see a flyer for local comedy in Asheville: Go! Support this fantastic, borderline-secretly-amazing group of comics. They deserve it.

Outside of comedy, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

That would definitely have to be Bit Brigade at The Grey Eagle on March 15. They perform rock covers of full Nintendo game soundtracks while one member speed-runs the game [i.e., plays it as fast as possible] live onstage. I’m obsessed with speed-runs of almost any game, and usually, people have barely even heard of the concept. But if you’re into two very specific interests being combined for one very specific show, definitely check it out. avl.mx/ca1

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

I’ve been deep diving into videography tutorials, color-grading techniques and audio equipment specs in preparation for starting a YouTube channel in January. The entire channel will be centered on discussing stand-up comedy as an art form, which most people misunderstand, and it will hopefully even showcase a number of comics I know personally who deserve the attention. It’s a lot to learn, and I’m enjoying taking on a new challenge without getting too far away from my passion for stand-up. X

Photo by Todd Crawford

Photo by Sahil Dhawan

Jane Kramer

Jane Kramer is an Asheville-based singer-songwriter who performs solo and with Free Planet Radio.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming music event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Kramer: I’m going to see American Patchwork Quartet at the Diana Wortham Theatre on May 18. I was introduced to this group at LEAF last spring, and I am so taken with the gorgeous vocals of Chennai-born Harini Raghavan and the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds that each of the band’s members pull from and reflect in their compositions. Their music feels like faraway places and like home, all at once, and tells the stories of immigrants. I love that this band reflects the beautiful diversity that comprises America. avl.mx/c9y

Outside of music, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

I’ll also be attending the “Homeland” Story Mixer at Story Parlor on Friday, Jan. 20. It’s a beautiful new venue [227 Haywood Road] with a beautiful mission of bringing community together around art and celebrating our tender humanity. Their Story Mixer series combines performances of different types of art, all around a poignant theme. I was the musical component for the most recent Story Mixer, and it was so powerful — I can’t wait to go to another one. avl.mx/c9w

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

I’m planning a songwriting workshop with two incredible songwriter friends of mine: Abigail Dowd and Jess Klein. The workshop will take place in late summer or early fall at beautiful Odonata Farm in Mars Hill. Over a long weekend, the three of us will work with a small group of folks and dive deep into the crafting of songs, the telling of our truths and the creative process. More details coming soon at avl.mx/cah. X

Audrey Laine Sawyer

Audrey Laine Sawyer is an Asheville-based jeweler and metalworker and a juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming craft-related event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Sawyer: I’d love to see George Peterson ’s exhibit, SHRED GRIND CARVE at Blue Spiral 1. I’m not superfamiliar with his work, but I really enjoy bodies of work that are so different from my own that are created with similar materials to those that I use (metal and wood), in addition to repurposed materials. avl.mx/c9z

Outside of craft, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

While not outside the craft world, the beginning basketry class at Villagers [led by Candy Alexander on Saturday, Feb. 18] has piqued my interest. I love to learn new skills and see what ideas they spark in my own pieces, and weaving seems so organic and meditative — so different from working with metal. avl.mx/ca0

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

In my own studio, I’m excited to really push beyond my boundaries on some larger, sculptural, plant-inspired pieces, and to dabble in media that I don’t explore too often anymore — painting and embroidery. My show and production schedule is a lot lighter this time of year, and I treat it as a huge opportunity to experiment and play. X

Photo by Wayward Wanderess Photography

Photo by Nate Burrows

What’s new in food

Driving down Haywood Road in West Asheville, it’s hard to not notice the new paint job on the exterior of Tastee Diner. Inside, some additional changes are apparent as well. Local art is now available for sale on the diner’s walls. Also hanging is a gilded framed portrait of French chef and restaurateur Auguste Escoffier . Meanwhile, animal skulls line the service counter.

But despite these new aesthetics, the diner still carries a welcoming vibe, along with that permeating smell from its flattop grill.

When new owner and chef Steven Goff purchased the diner last year, he says he wanted to pay homage to its 75-year history, while “embellishing it to reflect the modern community.” Along with the restaurant’s new designs, he has also updated the menu — though he’s kept some old favorites such as the Carolina dogs.

“I am trying to preserve the place with a little of its integrity as well as pay tribute to it in my own way,” he says.

Still, Goff is aware that not everyone is happy with his new additions. He has received some backlash from longtime diners, mostly through social media. “Diners reflect their owners and their community,” he says. “Asheville is a very eclectic place, and I am an eclectic person.”

Nevertheless, Goff says he is committed to serving everyone in the community. “My whole career has been focused on community,” he explains. “To me, a restaurant is a perfect place to be a bedrock, somewhere where people feel happy and safe when they go there.”

Among Goff’s goals is to make Tastee Diner accessible to everyone through his wooden nickels program, which the chef first launched in 2019 at his former restaurant AUX Bar. The model is simple: Patrons can purchase a token for $5 to pass along to a person in need.

The program comes from personal experience, as Goff himself was once homeless. “Honestly, I don’t need a wooden nickel to feed the homeless,” he says. “The point is for people to actually try to have a genuine interaction with [the homeless], to realize they are human.

And we will sit them down and show them love and hospitality.”

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m., Tastee Diner, under Goff’s new ownership, will celebrate its official ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tastee Diner is at 575 Haywood Road and is open seven days a week from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. To learn more, visit avl.mx/cab.

Fighting hunger

In the same spirit as Goff’s wooden nickel program, there are several resources for those experiencing hunger in Western North Carolina.

In downtown, First Presbyterian Church, 40 Church St., recently resumed its Sanctuary Saturdays. Started in 2009 as a warming shelter, volunteers served coffee and popcorn underneath the chapel while recipients watched films. Since that time, the program has expanded into the fellowship hall. Every Saturday through March 11, those seeking a hot meal or a warm place to rest can visit the church between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Participants can also charge their phones, use the bathrooms and receive health care advice.

The YMCA of Western North Carolina’s Mobile Market also provides free, fresh produce at several area locations throughout January. Sites include several Buncombe County libraries, community centers and parks. Some of the markets will hold cooking demonstrations, as well as distribute healthy recipes and nutrition information. Visit avl.mx/ca7 for more information.

In Black Mountain, nonprofit Bounty & Soul holds three weekly food distributions. On Tuesdays from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and Fridays from 4-5:30 p.m., a no-cost drive-thru market takes place in the parking lot of the former Bi-Lo grocery store, 205 N.C. 9. On Wednesdays, the nonprofit hosts a no-cost market geared toward the Latin community at 21 Sherwood Park Drive in Swannanoa.

Visit avl.mx/8zg for more information.

MLK Prayer Breakfast

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County will hold its 42nd annual MLK Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 8 a.m., at the Crowne Plaza Resort. The yearly event, which returns as an in-person event for the first time since the pandemic, brings together 1,100 attendees to celebrate diversity, community and King’s legacy.

This year’s program, “Audacious Action During Uncertain Times,” will begin with music from the Just Us Unity Choir and a welcome from Michael Dempsey , the event’s master of ceremonies. This year’s keynote speakers are Andrew Aydin , author of the March trilogy, which chronicles the life of late U.S. Rep. John Lewis; and Preston Blakely , mayor of Fletcher. Other speakers include Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer and Buncombe County Commission Chair Brownie Newman

The Crowne Plaza Resort is at 1 Resort Drive. Tickets range from $15-$350. For more information, visit avl.mx/ca6.

Let it grow

EmPOWERING Food Systems, a three-year project funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, will hold three panels on establishing agritourism opportunities in Western North Carolina.

The sessions, which are free and open to the public, are hosted by Haywood Community College and

Southwestern Community College and will include farm tours.

The first, Getting Started with Agritourism, takes place Monday, Jan. 9, 2-4 p.m., at the Haywood Community College Small Business Center and will be followed by an optional farm tour at Jehovah Raah Farm and Smoky Mountain Mangalista Farm.

On Thursday, Feb. 9, a tour of JAAR Farms in Sylva will take place before the agritourism panel, which will be held at the Southwestern Community College Small Business Center from 2-4 p.m.

The Agritourism Panel on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2-4 p.m., at the Macon Campus of Southwestern Community College, will follow a tour of Windingstair Farm.

Preregistration is required for all of the sessions; visit N.C. Community College System’s Small Business Center Network’s website at avl.mx/ca2.

Reservations

Asheville Restaurant Week returns Jan. 17-23, with over 35 participating restaurants offering menu specials. The weeklong event provides an opportunity for locals and tourists to support the city’s food scene.

Reservations, while not required, are strongly encouraged and are to be made with the individual restaurants. Tax and gratuity are not included in the special menus, and each restaurant may have different ways of offering specials.

For more information, visit avl.mx/ca4.

COOKING WITH GAS: Tastee Diner sous chef Kepler Battles melts the cheese on some to-go order burgers with a torch. Photo by Andy Hall

Around Town

Literary series will focus on trees, nature in Jewish poetry

Jewish poetry has been at the heart of Western culture for thousands of years, says Asheville poet Richard Chess . “Think of the psalms and the work of the prophets.”

But the UNC Asheville English professor emeritus believes society has not done a good job supporting the work of Jewish poets for a variety of reasons, including antisemitism.

With that in mind, fellow Asheville poet Jessica Jacobs launched the nonprofit Yetzirah, the first literary organization in the U.S. for Jewish poets, in September. Among other things, the group holds monthly live/virtual poetry-reading events.

Yetzirah will present its first reading of the new year Sunday, Jan. 15, 5-6:30 p.m., at

Congregation Beth Israel. Chess will host the event, featuring readings from Rebecca Aronson , published by Asheville’s Orison Books; Rachel Hadas , recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in poetry; and Maya Pindyck , whose 2021 book, Impossible Belonging , won the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry.

Because the event will be just a few weeks before Tu Bishvat, otherwise known as the Jewish “New Year of Trees,” the poets are invited to read a poem or two dealing with trees or nature, Chess explains. The holiday begins at sunset Friday, Feb. 5, and runs through nightfall the following day.

Before the participants read via Zoom, they will be asked to respond to the question “What is the relationship between Judaism and Jewish culture and your work?” Following the reading, audience members will be invited to remain for a conversation with the poets and audience.

“If there is one thing above all we hope to achieve, it is to offer audiences — writers and readers — an opportunity to engage with Jewish poetry by Jewish poets and to discover the many ways in

MOVIE REVIEWS

Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include:

BROKER: Director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s charming and emotionally rich illegal-adoption drama is one of 2022’s best foreign language films. Grade: A-minus

A MAN CALLED OTTO: This manipulative English-language remake of A Man Called Ove features an appealingly grumpy Tom Hanks performance but little else of note. Grade: C — Edwin Arnaudin

which Jewish poetry can deepen our lives, whether we are Jewish or not,” Chess says.

Yetzirah will present its inaugural summer conference Tuesday, June 20-Sunday, June 25, in partnership with UNCA’s Center for Jewish Studies. The gathering will include generative workshops focused on Jewish questions and themes, discussion panels, craft talks, readings with faculty and a selection of established and emerging poets, Chess says.

Congregation Beth Israel is at 229 Murdock Ave. For more information or to register for the Jan. 15 reading, go to avl.mx/cac. For more on the summer conference, go to avl.mx/cad.

Documenting history

The work of the Community Reparations Commission is scheduled to last until at least spring 2024, and officials want to make sure its history-making efforts are documented.

To that end, the city of Asheville and Buncombe County will work with Artéria Collective, formerly known as Asheville Writers in the Schools and Community. The group is in the process of putting together a team of seven area eighth to 11th graders to produce written features, podcasts, videos, photo galleries and more to tell the commission’s story.

menting and know how to ask the right questions to get the information and stories to get to the truth.”

Founded in 2011, the collective originally focused on writer residencies in public schools but has since expanded to grow its mission of igniting social change.

In 2018, members of the teen program Word on the Street/Voz De Los Jovénes hosted Southside Stories, a community story-gathering project focused on residents of the historic Southside neighborhood. And the collective partners with Blue Ridge Public Radio for the StoryCraft Project, which celebrates narratives and stories from underrepresented youth.

“City and county staff have long recognized our ability to engage youth of color with arts, culture and storytelling,” says Elizabeth Garland , artist residency coordinator for Artéria.

The videos and podcast episodes will be released in phases, with the first two videos set to be released in March, she says.

“This project is vital to build trust, restore community input, capture authenticity, invest and nurture the leadership of younger generations,” Hall says.

Find full reviews and local film info at ashevillemovies.com patreon.com/ashevillemovies

“Working with youth will bring a different perspective,” says Rasheeda Hall , community development specialist with Buncombe County. “Most of these young adults, if not all, were born and raised in Asheville and lived with a parent or grandparents who have experienced racial injustices. These youth have practice in docu-

If interested in one of the student positions, apply by Thursday, Jan. 12, at avl.mx/cal. For more information about Artéria, go to avl.mx/c9i . For more information about the Community Reparations Commission, visit avl.mx/9hn

Off to Neverland

Asheville Junior Theater will present Peter Pan Jr. Saturday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m. at Diana Wortham Theatre.

NATURAL WORDS: On Sunday, Jan. 15, poets, starting left, Rachel Hadas, Maya Pindyck and Rebecca Aronson will read poems about trees or nature as part of Yetzirah’s first literary reading of the new year. Photos courtesy of the poets

Based on J.M. Barrie ’s classic tale, the play tells the story or Peter, Tinkerbell and the Darling children and features such songs as “I’m Flying,” “I’ve Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Never Never Land.”

Asheville Junior Theater was founded last year by a group of Asheville parents who wanted to expand opportunities for children to participate in live theater.

The Diana Wortham Theatre is at 18 Biltmore Ave. Tickets are $20. Learn more at avl.mx/caf.

School songs

Asheville Middle School will host Coverfest II , a silent auction and concert Saturday, Jan. 15, 5-10 p.m., at The Grey Eagle. Proceeds from the event will help raise funds for the school’s eighth grade field trip to Washington, D.C., in March.

Local businesses and individuals have donated items that will be available during a silent auction, while several local bands will perform mini-sets of cover songs throughout the day. Featured artists will include Jeff Santiago & Los Gatos, Thieves Like Us, Double Love & the Trouble, Franklin Keel & Friends and more.

The Grey Eagle is at 185 Clingman Ave. Tickets are $12. For more information, go to avl.mx/cai.

Dark nights

NIGHT / VISIONARY , a five-artist exhibition, will run Friday, Jan. 13-Sunday, Feb. 26, at Tyger Tyger Gallery. An opening reception will be Friday, Jan. 13, 5-8 p.m.

“NIGHT / VISIONARY takes its cue from two central concepts: the nocturne — that is, art made about, or during, the night — and the notion of the visionary in art, wherein the imagery is suffused with added philosophical and mystical intonations,” the gallery says in a press release.

The show will feature the works of Los Angeles-based mixed media painter Josephine Close , Chilean artist Renato Órdenes San Martín , Toronto-based painter Kyung Soon Park , Chicago-based artist Christina Haglid and Richmond, Va.-based painter Eli McMullen

Tyger Tyger Gallery, 191 Lyman St., #144, is open TuesdaysSaturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and

Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, go to avl.mx/cak.

Set a reminder

Asheville author and publisher Luke Hankins recently launched LitNotice, a submission opportunity reminder service for writers.

Those who subscribe to LitNotice will be sent a digest of links for submission opportunities the week they open and the week they close. Alerts are also highly customizable by categories, including genre, pay, type of opportunity, publication format and author demographics.

“I’ve heard so many writers say that they don’t have the time or simply aren’t organized enough to create and stick to a consistent submission calendar,” Hankins says in a press release.

A subscription to LitNotice is $5 per month. For more information, visit avl.mx/cag.

New hours, new food

For the first quarter of the new year, Citizen Vinyl’s multipurpose gathering space will be open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily. The spot was previously closed Mondays and Tuesdays and open later other days.

Session, the venue’s café and cocktail bar, is introducing a new menu featuring dishes such as a chicken salad melt, French dip sliders, Bavarian-style roasted pork, a baby kale salad with roasted root vegetables and a half grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of soup as a daily lunch special.

“By opening at 9 a.m., Session will be available to downtown workers and visitors for breakfast and coffee,” Citizen Vinyl says in a press release. Breakfast will be served all day, with pancake specials on Mondays, and food popups will take place on Tuesdays.

Tours of Citizen Vinyl, which include the history of the 1939 Citizen Times building as well as the Citizen Vinyl pressing facility, are scheduled for WednesdaysSaturdays at noon and 1 p.m; and Sundays at 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. Private tours are available by reservation on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Citizen Vinyl is at 14 O. Henry Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/caj.

CLUBLAND

For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

CAMDEN'S COFFEE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

185 KING STREET

Winter Trivia Tournament and Karaoke Night, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

BIER GARDEN Geeks Who Drink: Trivia, 7pm

BOLD ROCK

ASHEVILLE Music Bingo, 7pm

HOUSE

Open Mic Night, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S The Prof. Fuzz 63 w/ Call the Next Witness and John Kirby Jr. & the New Seniors (garage rock), 8pm

RENDEVOUS Albi (vintage jazz), 6pm

SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/DJ Ek Balam, 10pm

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE Zach Brock, Bob Lanzetti & Keita Ogawa (jazz, funk), 8pm

THE ODD Nate Hall, Restless Spirit and Cosmic Reaper (doom rock, psych rock), 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY

BOLD ROCK ASHEVILLE Trivia Night, 7pm

BOTTLE RIOT Alt Thursday w/ Selector B (90s throwbacks), 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE Open Mic Night, 7pm

DOUBLE CROWN Drunken Prayer (alt-country, rock), 6:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam hosted by Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Moon Hooch (dance/ electronic), 9pm CORK & KEG The Barsters (acoustic, old time, bluegrass), 8pm

12

185 KING STREET Lange & Sarah (singer-songwriter), 7pm

27 CLUB Drunken Spelling Bee, 10pm

BLUE GHOST BREWING CO. Winter Trivia: 2022 in Review, 6:30pm

FLEETWOOD'S Karaoke Dance Party w/Cheryl, 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Karaoke Night, 6pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Kool Dewey Kudzu (singer-songwriter), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Isaac Hadden (jazz, funk-rock), 7pm SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Niño, 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Django Jazz Jam, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE SexBruise? (pop), 8pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Press Play (disco, funk and lo-fi house), 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Spafford (rock), 8pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:30pm FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

185 KING STREET Songs From The Road Band (bluegrass), 8pm

DSSOLVR Three Year Anniversary: Caressed By Mayhem (1990s and 2000s nu-metal), 5pm

FLEETWOOD'S Bonny Dagger w/ Cardboard Box Colony & SnakeSnakeWhale (punk, indie), 9pm

GIGI'S UNDERGROUND

AVL Underground Comedy: Kenyon Adamcik, 8pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Cosmic Collective (jazz), 7pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM 10:20 (trap-jazz), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Jared Stout Band (Appalachian rhythm & blues), 9pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Jeff Robinson (Americana), 6pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING

Dirty Dawg (acoustic, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia), 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

ALR Trio & Detective Blind (rock, blues), 7pm

NO SURPRISES: Asheville-based Radiohead cover band Off With Your Radiohead will perform at Asheville Music Hall on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 9 p.m. The band will cover albums OK Computer and In Rainbows. Photo courtesy of the band

ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Bob Dylan Tribute, 5:30pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

In Flight (world, jazz, funk), 8pm

SHAKEY'S

• Acklen Walker (acoustic), 9pm

• DJ Ek Balam (hip hop, soul, funk, disco), 12midnight

THE GREY EAGLE

Victoria Victoria ft Charlie Hunter w/ Rahm Squad (indie pop, soul jazz, world), 7pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

DJ James Nasty, 9pm

THE ODD

Bold Burlesque presents Zany Zeppelin, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

The Breakfast Club (1980s tribute), 8pm

THE SOCIAL Jon Cox Band (outlaw country), 9pm

WHITE HORSE

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Tumo Kohrs (Americana, folk, blues), 8pm

WRONG WAY

CAMPGROUND Fireside Fridays, 5:30pm

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

185 KING STREET

Josh Clark's Visible Spectrum (soul, funk, rock), 8pm

27 CLUB

Soda City Riot & Shem Creeps w/ Bellizia (punkgrass, punk rock), 8:30pm

305 LOUNGE & EATERY

Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 1pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Off With Your Radiohead (tribute), 9pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 5:30pm

CORK & KEG

The Old Chevrolette Set (classic country), 8pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO.

The Unexpected (rock), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S PinkEye, John Kirby and the New Seniors, Thieves Like Us (surf punk, punk rock, rock), 8pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Lady and The Lovers (funk & Top 40 covers), 6pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Heidi Gibson (alt-country, folk), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm

• Bald Mountain Boys (bluegrass), 9pm

NOBLE CIDER DOWNTOWN

Don't Tell Comedy Downtown, 6:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

JoJo Stella (psych jazz, rock-n-soul, funk), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Blue Ridge Blues Jam ft Abby Bryant & Friends, 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Hannah Ramsey (pianist, vocalist), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• The Paper Crowns Duo (rock, blues, folk), 4pm

• Pocket Strange w/ Swansgate (rock), 9pm

STORY PARLOR

Michael Flynn & Hannah Kaminer (folk pop, singer-songwriter), 7:30pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

DJ Short Stop (soul, Latin, dance), 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Abbey Road Live (Beatles tribute), 8pm

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

FLEETWOOD'S Feeling Bad, Mouthbreathers, Juniper Willow (synth punk), 8pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Traditional Irish Jam, 4pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Dirty Dead w/Spiro (Grateful Dead tribute), 8:30pm

THE GREY EAGLE Burlesque Brunch, 12pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

DJ Ek Balam & DJ Mad Mike (indie, funk, soul), 9pm

PL Ē B URBAN WIN -

ERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

27 CLUB

Monday Night

Karaoke hosted by Ganymede, 9:30pm

DSSOLVR Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB

Taylor Martin's Open Mic, 6:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

NOBLE CIDER

DOWNTOWN Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic, 6:30pm

SHAKEY'S Latinx Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 9pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

DJ Short Stop (soul, Latin, dance), 9pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy at and Friends (blues), 7pm

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

5 WALNUT WINE

BAR

The John Henrys (jazz, swing), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 10:30pm

FRENCH BROAD BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

The JackTown Ramblers (bluegrass, swing, jazz), 6pm

LAZOOM ROOM

Turnt Tuesday w/ Smooth Goose (funk), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute, jam band, rock), 6pm

OSKAR BLUES

Steep Canyon Rangers Winter Camp (bluegrass, Americana), 6pm

SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday w/ DJ Ek Balam & Drag Shows hosted by Priscilla Chambers, 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Weekly Open Jam hosted by Chris Cooper & Friends, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE Dixon's Violin w/Eli Kahn (electronic), 7:30pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

DJ Mad Mike: Music for the People, 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Tuesday Night Trivia, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

185 KING STREET

Winter Trivia Tournament and Karaoke Night, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

BIER GARDEN Geeks Who Drink: Trivia, 7pm

BOLD ROCK ASHEVILLE Music Bingo, 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE

FLEETWOOD'S Karaoke Dance Party w/Cheryl, 8pm

OSKAR BLUES Steep Canyon Rangers Winter Camp (bluegrass, Americana), 6pm

RENDEVOUS Albi (vintage jazz), 6pm

SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/DJ Ek Balam, 10pm

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Asheville FM Live Music Sessions: The Greybirds (Americana, singer-songwriter), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

THE ODD Graveyard Shift Goth Dance Party, 9:30pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Janis Joplin's 80th Birthday Party, 8pm

BOLD ROCK ASHEVILLE Trivia Night, 7pm

BOTTLE RIOT Alt Thursday w/ Selector B (90s throwbacks), 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE

Open Mic Night,

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Date Night with Divine, 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam hosted by Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Isaac Hadden (jazz, funk-rock), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Ben Balmer (singer-songwriter), 7pm

OSKAR BLUES Steep Canyon Rangers Winter Camp (bluegrass, Americana), 6pm

SHAKEDOWN LOUNGE Poetry Open Mic Hendo, 7:30pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Niño, 9pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO.

Dirty Logic: A Tribute To Steely Dan, 6:30pm

THE GREY EAGLE GA-20 & LadyCouch (blues, Southern rock), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Charlie Starr w/Benji Shanks (Southern rock), 8pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:30pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Nigerian author

Wole Soyinka reworked the ancient Greek play, The Bacchae. In one passage, the god Dionysus criticizes King Pentheus, who is supposedly all-powerful. “You are a man of chains,” Dionysus tells him. “You love chains. You breathe chains, talk chains, eat chains, dream chains, think chains. Your world is bound in manacles.” The bad news, Aries, is that many of us have some resemblances to Pentheus. The good news is that the coming months will be a favorable time to shed at least some of your chains. Have fun liberating yourself! Try to help a few others wriggle free from their chains, too. Doing so will aid your own emancipation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The coming weeks will be a great time to fill your journal with more intense ruminations than you have for many moons. If you don’t have a journal, think about starting one. Reveal yourself to yourself, Taurus! Make conscious that which has been vague, unnamed or hiding. Here are assignments to help launch your flood of intimate self-talk. 1. Write passionately about an experience you’ve always wanted to try but have never done. 2. Conduct imaginary interviews with people who rouse strong feelings in you. 3. Describe what deity, superhero or animal you are and how your special intelligence works. 4. Visualize a dream in which you appear as a bolder, more confident version of yourself. 5. Talk about a time you felt rousingly alive and how you plan to feel that way again.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A stranger approached me at Wild Birds Unlimited, a store that sells bird food and accessories. “You write the horoscopes, right?” she asked. “I’m a Gemini, and I want to thank you for helping me tone down my relentless fidgeting. You made me realize I have been secretly proud of tapping my fingers on the table while talking with people, and constantly darting my eyes around the room to check out the ever-changing views. I’d unconsciously believed that stuff was a sign of my incredible vitality. But you’ve been a steadying influence. You’ve shown me ways to settle down and focus my energy better. I can see how restlessness sometimes saps my energy.” I told the woman, “You’re welcome!” and let her know that 2023 will be a favorable time to do much more of this good work. Homework: Meditate on channeling your incredible vitality into being grounded and centered.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): According to Cancerian author Ronald Sukenick, the writer’s work is “to destroy restrictive viewpoints, notice the unnoticed, speak the unspeakable, shake stale habits, ward off evil, give vent to sorrow, pulverize doctrine, attack and uphold tradition as needed and make life worth living.” I believe 2023 will be an excellent time for you to carry out those actions, even if you’re not a writer. You will have abundant power to bless and heal through creative rebellion and disruption. You will thrive as you seek out interesting novelty.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Psychotherapist Ryan Howes has wisdom you’ll benefit from heeding in the coming weeks. “We need to accept our age,” he writes. “We need to accept illnesses and addictions. We need to accept the past. We need to accept others as they are.” He goes on to say that this doesn’t mean we must like all these situations. And we can certainly try to make the best of them. But when we don’t struggle in vain to change what’s beyond our control to change, we have more energy for things that we can actually affect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here’s testimony from musician Pharrell Williams: “If someone asks me what inspires me, I always say, ’That which is missing.’” Yes! This is an apt message for you, Virgo. The best way for you to generate motivation and excitement in the coming weeks will be to explore what is lacking, what is invisible, what’s lost or incomplete. Check in

with your deep intuition right now. Do you feel a stirring in your gut? It may tell you where to find important and intriguing things that are missing.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Every animal knows far more than you do,” declares a proverb of the Nimíipuu people, also known as the Nez Perce. Author Russell Banks provides further testimony to convince us we should be humble about our powers of awareness. “There is a wonderful intelligence to the unconscious,” he says. “It’s always smarter than we are.” These are good pointers for you to heed in the coming weeks, Libra. You will have a special power to enhance your understanding of the world by calling on the savvy of animals and your unconscious mind. They will be especially rich sources of wisdom. Seek out their educational input!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Psychologist Carl Jung said that the whole point of Jesus Christ’s story was not that we should become exactly like him. Rather, we should aspire to be our best and highest selves in the same way that he fulfilled his unique mission. So Jesus was not the great exception, but rather the great example. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because I believe life in 2023 will conspire to make you, more than ever before, the hero of your own destiny. You will be inspired to honor only your own standards of success and reject all others’. You will clearly see that you are progressing at your own natural and righteous pace, which is why it makes no sense to compare your evolution to anyone else’s.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A reader named Mary Roseberry describes her experience of being a Sagittarius: “I hate to be bored. I hate imperfections. I hate to wait. I hate sadness. I hate conflict. I hate to be wrong. I hate tension.” Wow! I admire Mary’s succinct understanding of who she doesn’t want to be and what she doesn’t like to do. I invite you to compose a similar testimony. You would benefit from getting clear about the experiences you intend to avoid in 2023. Once you have done that, write a list of the interesting feelings and situations you will seek out with intense devotion during the coming months.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): When he was 74 years old, Capricorn author Norman Maclean published his first novel, A River Runs Through It. It became a best-seller. Capricorn film director Takeshi Kitano directed his first film at age 42. Now 75, he has since won many awards for his work in his native Japan. Capricorn activist Melchora Aquino, who was a leader in the Philippines’ fight for independence from Spain, launched her career as a revolutionary when she was in her eighties. She’s known as the “Mother of the Revolution.” I hope these heroes inspire you, dear Capricorn. I believe that 2023 is the year you will get an upgrade in any area of your life where you have seemed to be a late bloomer.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will soon be called upon to summon grace under pressure; to express magnanimity while being challenged; to prove that your devotion to your high standards is more important than the transitory agendas of your ego. The good news is that you are primed and ready to succeed at these exact assignments. I have confidence in your power to activate the necessary courage and integrity with maximum poise and composure.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “By dying daily, I have come to be,” wrote poet Theodore Roethke. He didn’t mean he suffered literal deaths. He was referring to the discipline of letting go of the past; shedding worn-out habits; leaving behind theories and attitudes that once served him well but no longer did; killing off parts of himself that were interfering with the arrival of the fresh future. I recommend his strategy to you, Pisces. To the degree that you agree to die daily, you will earn the right to be reborn big-time in a few weeks.

REAL

MARKETPLACE

Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com

REAL ESTATE LAND FOR SALE

COMPUTER/ TECHNICAL

AUDIO/VIDEO/IT TECHNICIAN NEEDED Looking for a trustworthy and presentable technician for audio/video and IT work. Full time, PTO, paid holidays, and a great work environment. Some experience required,. Email info+mtx@ wncav.com for more information.

HOME

Running or not. Maximum tax deduction and no emission test required! Call 24/7: 999999-9999 Call 855-504-1540 (AAN CAN)

BUNCOMBE CO LAND FOR SALE 15 acres for sale off Standhill Dr in Candler for $515,000. Divided into 6 parcels. Joins Pisgah National Forest for 2000+/- ft. Paved access and underground power. Views, privacy, and convenient to Asheville. Must see opportunity! Email suncrestmulch@gmail. com

JOBS WANTED

PET STYLIST WANTED Shampoodles Salon is in need of a skilled pet stylist. 2 year's experience preferred. Vacation pay and retirement offered. Tues-Fri 8-5, Sat 9-4. Call Richard 828-707-4620

SERVICES AUDIO/VIDEO

BUNCOMBE CO LAND FOR SALE 53 acres off Quartz Mountain Trl in Candler for $795,000. Borders the new Pisgah View State Park. Perfect for family retreat or place rental cabins throughout. Underground power to property. Email suncrestmulch@gmail.com

EMPLOYMENT

PROFESSIONAL/ MANAGEMENT

YOUR CAREER STARTS HERE WITH MHC! PROGRAM MANAGER Make a difference AND grow in your career! Methodist Home for Children is seeking a Program Manager to oversee a residential program for at-risk youth in Franklin. Candidates must have a 4-year degree, preferably in a human services program, relevant experience in staff supervision and background working in youth programs/ youth services. MHC offers excellent benefits, paid time off, and room to grow! Salary starts at $48,000. Apply today at MHFC.org/opportunities vpenn@mhfc.org

EDUCATION/ TUTORING

when

As low as $109.99/ mo.! 1-866-571-1325. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES In as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!  Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

BATHWRAPS IS LOOKING FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH OLDER HOMES FOR A SAFETY UPDATE They do not remodel entire bathrooms but update bathtubs with new liners for safe bathing and showering. They specialize in grab bars, nonslip surfaces and shower seats. All updates are completed in one day. Call 866-531-2432 (AAN CAN)

BCI WALK-IN TUBS ARE ON SALE Be one of the first 50 callers and save $1,500! Call 844-514-0123 for a free in-home consultation. (AAN CAN)

BREAKFAST BURRITO CLUB

If you build it, others will follow! Serving the needy of food and homeless population of Asheville with a weekly burrito. Paypal/ Contact dialacookie@yahoo. com or mail to: Brandon W. 119 Tunnel Road, Suite-D, NC 28805

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF! Reduce payment by up to 50%! Get one LOW affordable payment/month. Reduce interest. Stop calls. FREE no-obligation consultation Call 1-855-7611456. (AAN CAN)

DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service Starting at $74.99/month! Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV!  877-310-2472 (AAN CAN)

DON'T PAY FOR COVERED HOME REPAIRS AGAIN American Residential Warranty covers all major systems and appliances. 30 day risk free - $100 off popular plans. Call 855-7314403. (AAN CAN)

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE TO FUND THE SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN Fast free pickup. 24 hour response.

LONG DISTANCE MOVING Call for a free quote from America’s Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Call to speak to our Quality Relocation Specialists: Call 855-787-4471 (AAN CAN)

SPECTRUM INTERNET AS LOW AS $29.99! Call to see if you qualify for ACP and free internet. No Credit Check. Call Now! 833-955-0905. (AAN CAN)

WATER DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME? Call for a quote for professional cleanup & maintain the value of your home! Set an appt. today! Call 833-664-1530 (AAN CAN)

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES

ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LCMHC. (828) 258-3229

FOR MUSICIANS

MUSICAL SERVICES

GUITAR REPAIR / RESCUE Somewhat famous luthier with 35 years experience offering comprehensive repair service. Quick turnaround, competitive rates, free evaluation / estimate (in-person only). Convenient Asheville location. Brad Nickerson. 828-252-4093 nickersonguitars.net nickersonguitars@hotmail.com

AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 866-5359689. (AAN CAN)

Community Action Opportunities

HELPING PEOPLE. CHANGING LIVES.

NOTICE OF INTENT AND PUBLIC HEARINGS

Community Action Opportunities (CAO) will submit an application for $941,139 to the Office of Economic Opportunity – Community Services Block Grant in order to continue operating a self-sufficiency project in FY 2023 - 2024. CAO provides comprehensive case management services in Buncombe, Madison, McDowell, Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties who meet the federal income guidelines, want to increase their income and are able to work.

Further details about the program can be found: communityactionopportunities.org/life-works/

Two virtual public hearings to learn about the project will be held Thursday, January 12, 2023: at 10am and 6pm. CAO’s Board of Directors – Executive Committee will meet to review and approve the application Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 3pm. The public is welcome to attend virtually.

Email kate.singogo@tcqr.org at least 24 hours prior to these events to receive login information. Call 828-252-2495 or email with questions.

ACROSS

Iconic sportswear logo that was commissioned for $35 in 1971

Stories that can get pretty hot

Northernmost capital in continental South America

___ Achebe, “Things Fall Apart” author

Vintage car, in German ... or veteran, in English

In a spooky way

Get out fast

G.I. food packs

Six-time M.L.B. All-Star Mookie

Famine’s counterpart

High school, in Danish ... or building for indoor sports, in English

The Cards, on scoreboards

Teeny

One hearing things?

“___ you serious?”

When doubled, like a good situation

Relatives, slangily

Scarfed down

Competition, in French ... or agreement, in English

Tooth holder

Unspecified amount

Certain real estate purchase

Verizon sale of 2021

Hummer maker

___ Gatos, Calif.

Plywood, in Dutch ... or theater with several screens, in English

Smidgen

Spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, say

Engrave with an acid

Queens stadium eponym

Inflame

Vacation, in Swedish ... or half of an academic year, in English

Boosted

Light punch

So-called “wisdomkeepers”

Savory South Asian pastry

DOWN

Says “Hah!,” say

Place for some bills

Flying a commercial airline, often

Hall’s partner in pop

Grade school subj.

Jon who played Don in “Mad Men”

Big name in hardware stores

Something to pass, legally

Twilled suit fabric

Reina’s chess “mate”

Glasses annoyance

An identical one isn’t 100% identical

That is to say

Set up a temporary base

Amaze

Overheat, as a circuit

Do something

Was defeated by

Vegas casino with bars named Dublin Up, Lucky and Blarney

Tibetan ethnic group

H.S. exam org.

Casey in the National Radio Hall of Fame

Something grown in a lab

“Because that’s what I want!”